Climate

North Carolina Republicans are voicing frustration over how the state is still struggling to recover from two hurricanes that ravaged the region long before Hurricane Helene hit in September. The issues bubbled to the surface Monday during a legislative committee hearing about a budget shortfall in the state Office of Recovery and Resiliency.

Monstrous hurricanes Helene and Milton caused so much complex havoc that damages are still being added up, but experts in economics, insurance and risk say they are likely to be in the pantheon of super-costly $50 billion disasters. That would put them in the company of storms like Katrina, Sandy and Harvey. Making those costs even more painful is that most of that damage, particularly in Helene's case, was not insured. Several experts say damages are skyrocketing because people are building in harm's way, reconstruction costs are soaring faster than inflation and human-caused climate change is making storms stronger and wetter.

The state government recommends private well owners and people who use septic systems get them both tested for structural integrity and potential contamination.

Officials say federal disaster workers have resumed door-to-door visits as part of hurricane recovery efforts in North Carolina. The visits were temporarily suspended after reports emerged over the weekend that FEMA employees could be targeted by militia members.

Ashe Memorial Hospital was operational throughout Hurricane Helene and is in prepared to meet all health care needs in the area.