A week after Helene, recovery efforts struggle to reach parts of southern Appalachia

Destroyed roadways and rocky terrain are making it difficult to get supplies into some areas hit hard by Hurricane Helene.

BRISTOL, Tenn. — As volunteers at a high school-turned-donation center in Unicoi County, Tennessee, worked to organize emergency supplies in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the need for more resources was apparent Thursday.

“There isn’t anything that we don’t need right now,” said Tim Love, a volunteer at the center.

Love’s team is one of many across the region working to bring aid to the hardest-hit areas in Tennessee, coming face to face with the devastation. His team helped load Black Hawk helicopters for a delivery to a particularly damaged area in the state.

“Our county has been cut in half by this,” he said. “We’ve lost a hospital, we’ve lost life, but we’re banding together in this.”

Almost a week after the remnants of Hurricane Helene caused widespread flooding and destruction in multiple states, many survivors remain isolated and in serious need of help. The destruction of major roads, combined with the natural terrain of the southern Appalachians, have made the rapid distribution of aid an ongoing challenge. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/helene-recovery-efforts-roads-rcna174012

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