A viral post claims extensive damage from Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, with some details needing updates for accuracy.
Asheville: A Facebook post has been making waves, showing just how much damage Hurricane Helene caused in western North Carolina last year. With all the attention on wildfires in Los Angeles, this post is a reminder of the hurricane’s impact.
The post claims that 126,000 homes were destroyed, 104 lives lost, and a whopping $60 billion in damages in western North Carolina. It even features an image of a child with a sign asking, “What about NC?”
While the post is mostly accurate, it uses some outdated figures about the homes affected. Early estimates suggested over 125,000 homes were hit, but the latest numbers are lower. The North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management now estimates around 73,000 homes were damaged.
So, while the post exaggerates the home damage a bit, it gets the overall financial impact and loss of life right. The state faced about $59.6 billion in damages, with $44.4 billion from direct damage, $9.4 billion from indirect damage, and $5.8 billion for future protective investments.
As of December 23, 2024, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services confirmed 104 storm-related deaths, but that number might still go up as recovery efforts continue.
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