On Monday, the North Carolina State Climate Office said Hurricane Helene was a "monster storm" that unleashed every "worst-case scenario" for western North Carolina.
Ashville Mayor Esther Manheimer told CNN's The Source with Kaitlan Collins on Monday that over 600 people are unaccounted for.
Some towns have been wiped off the map after torrential rains dumped from Helene unleashed 'biblical' floods.
Chimney Rock, North Carolina obliterated by flash flood from remnants of Hurricane Helene. 😮
— Michael Evon (@EvonDesign) September 28, 2024
Highway 9 Before and After pic.twitter.com/vLGIOh4xsz
Downtown Chimney Rock, NC wiped out by extreme flash flood. Please pray for them. pic.twitter.com/fHDs9FqpFT
— QueenMother👸🏻 (@QueenMother1976) September 30, 2024
Dunno if these will post. But here is an aerial view of Chimney Rock. Devastation. Active Rescues ongoing. No service, but got some on a hill. #NCwx @accuweather pic.twitter.com/5TT2VJmPhU
— Aaron Rigsby (@AaronRigsbyOSC) September 29, 2024
Power outages across western North Carolina remain widespread on Tuesday morning. Folks on X are saying entire cellular networks have been damaged as a humanitarian crisis unfolds.
Dear @elonmusk we need help in Western North Carolina. We have no power, no water, and very little communications. We are having to travel miles to get gas, food, and have cell service. All of the citizens and emergency services sure could use some Starlink service. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/fZgfE8rs5A
— World life (@seautocure) September 29, 2024
Western North Carolina has been hit hard by the recent hurricane! Still no internet or cell service in my area. I’m actually at a nearby university getting onto their Internet. The gas stations are running out of gas, stores are running out of food in Western North Carolina. pic.twitter.com/jCUmsab9tq
— Max Bennett (@CyberTruckMax) October 1, 2024
Helene shows how fragile modern society is when a monster storm invades the Appalachian region. Yet, Elon Musk's space internet company could've supplied residents with Starlink terminals over the years through a rural federal program. However, the Biden administration's weaponization of the FCC blocked nearly 20,000 terminals for the state that would've been crucial communication links for residents that have been cut off from the world.
WEAPONIZATION: Remember the Biden-Harris regime blocked almost 20,000 North Carolina residents from having Starlink to punish Elon Musk for failing to support their regime. Meanwhile the regime had the FCC ignore the law and its own rules to expedite George Soros's takeover of… https://t.co/MyE7lWIVjY
— @amuse (@amuse) October 1, 2024
But-But-But.
HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISOR: "Today, FEMA will install 30 Starlink receivers in western North Carolina to provide immediate connectivity for those in greatest need." pic.twitter.com/tCZXtr3mAr
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) September 30, 2024
Also on Monday, former President Trump visited Valdosta, Ga., where he toured storm-ravaged neighborhoods. He told the press that he spoke to Musk about providing Starlink terminals for disaster areas.
This collaboration between @Starlink and other private sector actors and Trump, is private industry at its best! Starlink should not face such scrutiny from the FCC. We should be celebrating starlink as an American company innovating, endlessly! https://t.co/S5xiA9jG4i
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) September 30, 2024
Musk tweeted:
Since the Hurricane Helene disaster, SpaceX has sent as many Starlink terminals as possible to help areas in need.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 1, 2024
Earlier today, @realDonaldTrump alerted me to additional people who need Starlink Internet in North Carolina. We are sending them terminals right away.
Here's what X users are saying about the weaponization of Biden's FCC against Musk's Starlink:
The FCC needs to be investigated over this.
— Reddit Lies (@reddit_lies) September 30, 2024
I’d love to see the state’s Attorney General file a lawsuit against the FCC for misconduct.
— Jay "letterj" Payne (@letterjbp) September 30, 2024
All because of politics. Starship 5 test grounded too because of some nonsense. If you told them Starship could ship millions of Haitians to our shores that would change their minds real fast.
— KamaKameleon (@KamaKamaKamel) September 30, 2024
The FCC should be held responsible for
— SunStar (@StarSun2) September 30, 2024
obstructing Elon Musk's@SpaceX from
delivering fast internet connection to the American citizens
especially in regions prone to natural disasters.@Starlink saves lives.
FAA must answer also about stopping Starship and harming progress.
This is yet another classic example of elections having real-world consequences. Starlink terminals, by the thousands, could've been operating across the storm-damaged area; instead, the far-left in the Biden-Harris camp were hellbent on weaponizing federal agencies against Musk's companies over his 'free speech' X platform. This is insane.
