Hurricane Flooding Relief for Madison County, NC

The remnants of Hurricane Helene have brought devastation to the Appalachian community of Madison County, NC. Located just north of Asheville, the French Broad River runs through its mountain valleys which are home to the towns of Hot Springs and Marshall, home to my brother and his family.

Last week, some weather observers in the region reported over 40" of rainfall over the course of 72 hours, creating a flooding event unlike anything experienced in the modern era. Many towns and communities in the area surrounding Asheville were completely wiped off the map as a result of the flooding; as the French Broad River crested above 31' in some parts, over 10' higher than the previous record of 21' set in 1916, and magnitudes higher than the average flood stage of 8'. (Our nieces, pictured, against the river gauge outside the Old Jail in Downtown Marshall, illustrate how high 31' is in comparison; and again with the flood gauge in the background as waters began to recede over the weekend).

(photo credit: ig joshcopuspottery )

Marshall, like many towns along the French Broad last week, suffered catastrophic loss. The downtown area is completely uninhabitable, and largely inaccessible from much of the region. Our family in Marshall is a large and active part of the community, both socially and professionally. My brother is an Engineer and GIS analyst for the region's cooperative electric utility, and has been working tirelessly to help restore the power and communication grids that serve the area (most homes outside the downtown area have a well, and without electricity they have no access to potable water). My sister-in-law is the Director of the County's Soil and Water Conservation District, and thus has extensive experience writing grants at the federal and state levels and is helping individuals begin the process of applying for assistance. However, government assistance is very limited (and delayed); and most homeowners do not have policies that cover such events as a flood like this is unheard of for the region, outside of those immediately along the river.

The devastation is widespread, and the entire Western NC/East TN region along the Appalachian Mountains is affected - an area where most would never consider the effects of a hurricane to leave any sort of impact. In nearby Erwin, TN, stunning videos were seen as helicopters rescued individuals from the roof of the local hospital, one of the only buildings remaining standing as floodwaters from the Nolichucky River decimated the town and cut through Interstate 26, the major artery from WNC north into Tennessee and a familiar route for us when we visit.

Interstate 40, the gateway into the region from the west, also succumbed to the floodwaters of the Pigeon River after the failing of Walters Dam. This has created a scenario where Western NC is effectively cut off in multiple directions, severely limiting access to the area and requiring supplies to be flown into the region. Smaller communities in the mountains have lost their only entry points in and out of town, and much of the devastation in these areas has yet to be realized as cell service is virtually non-existent in the area. Families are stranded with no power, clean water, communication, or access to food. Power and communication grids in the area will take months to recover. The few stores who do have food are cash-only while their inventory lasts; and almost all residents are reliant on the few charity organizations who have come in to deliver food, but even access to those areas is limited.

All proceeds from this fundraiser will go to my brother, Jeffrey (Aaron) Hocz, who will distribute them directly to local organizations that are providing boots-on-the-ground help to those in Madison County.

The need is overwhelming, and nearly impossible to comprehend. In a region where the poverty rate is already stunningly high, immediate access to resources is a matter of life and death.