Disaster tourism disrupts recovery efforts in Hurricane Helene-hit Swannanoa

School principal helped run a post-Helene distribution site | UNC-Chapel Hill

When Hurricane Helene hit Mitchell County in September 2024, principal Amber Young ’21 (MSA) immediately went into action to protect her school. Young and her parents put down sandbags at each entrance to stop water from coming into Gouge Primary School. They saved teachers’ lesson plans, materials, decor and furniture. Once she regained cell service, she reached out to students to see if they had water, food and power. While Gouge only has 145 …

The government stepped in to clean up a disaster in North Carolina. Then they created another one.

The Army Corps of Engineers was tasked by FEMA to remove debris in rivers left by flooding. Contractors working for the agency did more damage in some areas than the tropical storm, scientists claim.

Helene cements North Carolina as a target for ‘disaster tourism’

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jess Fager was not surprised when her Swannanoa home drew a steady parade of gawkers, smartphones raised, fascinated by the crumbled walls and devastation that Hurricane Helene inflicted on her purple bungalow. But it’s been nearly a…

Disaster tourism disrupts recovery efforts in Hurricane Helene-hit Swannanoa

Nearly a year after Hurricane Helene devastated Swannanoa, North Carolina, residents like Jess Fager continue to face an influx of disaster tourists drawn to the area.