Years after hurricanes left their homes unlivable, NC residents wait for relief
REMAIN ON THE SCENE UNTIL STATE
HIGHWAY PATROL ARRIVED TO
INVESTIGATE THAT. IT'S NOW BEEN
6 YEARS SINCE HURRICANE MATTHEW
HIT NORTH CAROLINA AND 4 YEARS
SINCE HURRICANE FLORENCE.
>> CAUSED CATASTROPHIC FLOODING
AND DAMAGE ACROSS THE STATE.
THOUSANDS OF HURRICANE VICTIMS
ARE STILL WAITING TO GO HOME.
MANY OF THEM ARE STUCK IN
MOTELS WITH NO ACCESS TO ANY OF
THEIR BELONGINGS. IT'S THE
FOCUS OF OUR LATEST WRAL
DOCUMENTARY AFTERMATH, NORTH
CAROLINA, HURRICANE VICTIMS
LEFT BEHIND WRAL, INVESTIGATIVE
DOCUMENTARY REPORTER KRISTEN
SEVERANCE PRODUCE AND HOST THIS
DOCUMENTARY AND HAS WHAT TO
EXPECT.
YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE PEOPLE
SIGNED UP FOR STATE PROGRAM
CALLED REBUILD AND SEE.
>> AND IT'S MEANT TO HELP LOW
INCOME HOMEOWNERS RECOVER FROM
THE EFFECTS OF THE STORM.
REBUILD NC OVERSEES NEARLY
800 MILLION FEDERAL DOLLARS.
TAXPAYER DOLLARS MEN TO GET
THESE PEOPLE BACK INTO A SAFE
PLACE TO LIVE. BUT MISSTEPS AND
DELAYS HAVE PLAGUED THE STATE
AGENCY FOR YEARS. NOW THE
PEOPLE RUNNING REBUILD THE
PEOPLE YOU SEE RIGHT HERE, THEY
BLAME COVID AND GOALS. BUT MANY
LAWMAKERS, ADVOCATES AND
HOMEOWNERS SAY THIS CAN'T ALL
BE COVID. YOU KNOW, HURRICANE
MATTHEW HAPPENED 6 YEARS AGO
AND MANY OF THESE PEOPLE ARE
STILL WAITING HERE. JUST A FEW
OF THE VOICES. YOUR HEAR IN
OUR DOCUMENTARY. I THOUGHT.
>> THIS IS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT NO
ONE KNOWS ABOUT BECAUSE YOU
THINK WILL HURRICANE MATTHEW.
THAT'S IN 2016 HURRICANE
FLORENCE. THAT'S IN 2018 YEARS
HAVE PASSED. THEY HAD BEEN
COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN. IT.
NOBODY EVEN KNEW. THAT THEY
WERE LIVING IN MOTELS. THIS IT
ALL FLOWN UNDER THE RADAR.
THIS IS WHY HOW I HAVE TO
REALLY.
>> AND NOBODY CAN SEEM TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT AND HOW.
OH, GOSH, THIS IS SO.
>> THE SAME IS JUST I JUST
CANNOT BELIEVE THAT HAS BEEN
>> WITH THE LEFT THEIR HOUSE UP
TO HURRICANE FLORENCE,
HURRICANE MATTHEW AND NEVER
CAME HOME. THEY GOT OUT TOO.
WITHOUT THE FAMILY. IT'S AN
EXCEPTIONAL.
>> YOU KNOW, ACCOUNTABILITY
IS A BIG PART OF
THIS DOCUMENTARY. I SAT DOWN
WITH A WOMAN WHO RUNS REBUILD
AND SEYMOUR HOGG SAID AND
GOVERNOR ROY COOPER AND I ASKED
THEM, WHY IS THIS TAKING SO
LONG AND WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO
DO ABOUT IT? YOU CAN WATCH THE
ENTIRE DOCUMENTARY AFTERMATH,
NORTH CAROLINA HURRICANE
VICTIMS LEFT BEHIND TOMORROW
NIGHT AT 7.30, ON WRAL OR ON
WRAL DOCUMENTARY DOT COM.
OR JUST GO TO OUR WRAL DOCKS