Canton community dealing with damage; same area hit hard by Fred in 2021
SPRUCE PINE AND SKY 5. I'M
BRIAN SHRADER. WRAL NEWS.
THE SMALL TOWN OF CAN SING
ABOUT 20 MILES WEST OF
ASHEVILLE WAS HIT HARD BY
TROPICAL STORM FRED IN 2021.
NOW THEY'RE, OF COURSE, DEALING
WITH DEVASTATION FROM HELENE.
>> WRAL'S SARAH KRUEGER SPOKE
WITH PEOPLE THERE ABOUT WHAT
IT'S LIKE GOING THROUGH 100
YEAR FLOOD A FEW YEARS APART.
>> PEOPLE'S ENTIRE LIVES ARE
PILED UP FEET HIGH ON THE
STREETS. IN CANTON, THEIR
APPLIANCES, THEIR FURNITURE,
THEIR CLOTHES, THEIR KIDS,
TOYS. NONE OF IT COULD BE
SAVED.
>> YEAH, THE STANCES ARE TRYING
TO MAKE LIFE SOMEWHAT NORMAL
FOR THEIR 3 KIDS. BUT THERE'S
ONLY SO NORMAL. IT CAN BE RIGHT
NOW. IT'S TOO MUCH FOR THEIR
LITTLE BRAINS TO REGISTER IN
CANTON, THEIR HOME JUST STEPS
FROM THE PIGEON RIVER TOOK IN
ABOUT A FOOT AND A HALF OF
WATER AS THEY SOUGHT REFUGE
UPHILL DOES THE PROBLEM LIE?
WE HAVE INCHES OF MUD INSIDE
THE HOUSE. NASTY FUEL SMELL
IN MIND. IT SMELLS LIKE
KEROSENE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
A FEW YEARS AGO, THE WATER
LEVEL FROM TROPICAL STORM FRED
WAS JUST UNDER THEIR FRONT
DECK. HELENE WAS WORSE AFTER
BACK-TO-BACK STORMS. THIS TOWN
IS HOPING THEY'LL CATCH A BREAK
SOON. I KEEP HEARING GOOD NEWS.
SO HOPEFULLY THIS TRICKLES ITS
WAY THIS WAY. THIS FAMILY IS
STAYING WITH RELATIVES FOR NOW.
THEY HAVE ALREADY APPLIED FOR
FEMA ASSISTANCE AND IT CAN'T