Florence Aftermath: Recovering From The Hurricane And Ways You Can Help

The focus across the Carolinas is recovery from Hurricane Florence and the damage it brought with it.

Many Carolinians are dealing with the aftermath of what some are calling the storm of a lifetime.

At least 32 deaths are blamed on the storm, including two babies in the Charlotte area. Twenty-five of the fatalities were in North Carolina. Several of the people who died in recent days were swept up in storm waters.

About 500,000 homes and businesses are still without power across the Carolinas.

Many rivers across the region still haven’t crested, which could lead to weeks of continued flooding.

In Wilmington, one road was open, at least briefly, and big military trucks and helicopters were able to bring in supplies to stranded residents.

Officials say they’ll begin distributing food, water and tarps Tuesday morning. But as the rain finally stopped and the sun peaked through Monday, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper warned that dangerously high water would persist for days.

Inspectors have begun checking out a dam in Lilesville on Tuesday after a nearby dam breached on Monday.

Some residents and officials in Conway, S.C., worry that homes will flood because the state wants to save the main highway into Myrtle Beach instead. On Monday, the Waccamaw River that cuts the city in half was already flooded and hadn’t crested. Officials say they must keep the road open, or hundreds of thousands of people would be isolated. So, the state is building a higher wall in its last stand on U.S. Highway 501. Officials say nearly 1,000 homes are in danger no matter what.

As South Carolina continues its wait to see how the rains of Florence will impact the state’s low-lying communities, Gov. Henry McMaster’s flight over soggy parts of the state Monday turned from an observation trip to a rescue mission when he spotted two people stranded atop a flooded vehicle.

Interested in helping those affected by the hurricane? You can donate to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund, the state’s official recovery fund.

The North Carolina Community Foundation Partners with local charities that support the community.

Even the animals need your help. The American Humane Society does water and land animal rescues and tries to reunite pets with families.

The American Red Cross is taking donations for its relief efforts.

Global-Giving, a nonprofit which supports grassroots charity, provides food, water and medicine and helps rebuild houses.