'It's tragic.' Canton mayor pleads for federal disaster declaration after flooding devastates western NC

"We are still waiting on the federal [disaster] declaration from President Biden," said Smathers. "President Biden, I'm asking you as mayor of a small town."

A federal disaster declaration would authorize the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and FEMA to coordinate disaster relief efforts after six people were killed from flooding in Haywood County, hundreds of families lost their homes and several communities had water levels reach 3 to 7 feet higher than their previous watermark.

Cruso man marks sixth confirmed death in Haywood County after flooding from Fred

Catastrophic weather events have seemed to plague the United States in the last few weeks. Smathers said his heart breaks for all the areas hit, but his focus is on western North Carolina.

"I prayed for the people in the Gulf Coast, Tennessee and New York, which in the last few weeks after our situation, suffered an even greater loss of life. But then again, all of us are owed the same," he said.

Smathers said that, however, western North Carolina is not getting the same attention, and he needs Biden's signature to secure much needed Federal Emergency Management Agency relief. He noted that this is not a political matter, but one that is about people who have suffered.

"I talked to a person yesterday whose daughter lost their home. Every day she goes to the FEMA website looking for this declaration," said Smathers.

Just in Cruso, there is estimated by the county that there's $300 million worth of damage," said Smathers.

Ten days ago, hundreds of people and business owners said they were stunned at the damage caused by remnants of Tropical Storm Fred.

"It's mind boggling," said Tom Wilson, who owns a dry cleaners in Canton that has an estimated $1 million worth of damage.

"A lot of people would say, 'just declare bankruptcy.' But that's just not me," said Wilson.

Funding, especially grants rather than loans, is needed for small businesses, according to Smathers, who have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic and don't need another loan on their ledgers.

"It's tragic. But it takes tragedy to bring people together," said Smathers. "At the state level, the General Assembly, the governor -- they've done an amazing job."

But, Smathers said that things are getting worse by the day.

"We are waiting ... we literally have trash piling up on the side of the road," he added. "We will find a way, but again, it's going to be one of those questions of what could we have done if we had those full forces of the federal government?"

Smathers said he hopes to have state funding secured within the next few weeks. He added that state funding was key to rebuilding the community in 2004 when two hurricanes hit and flooded the area back to back.