Disaster Recovery

We regularly post news and updates on the ways N.C. Commerce is supporting Hurricane Helene recovery in this section. 

Federally Declared Disaster Counties:

Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancey, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

Disaster Unemployment Assistance is Available for Residents of Impacted Counties

• Special unemployment insurance benefits program to support residents that are experiencing a disruption in employment because of a federally declared disaster.
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) benefits are available in 25 counties as well as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
• People in these counties have 60 days from October 1 to file an application for Disaster Unemployment Assistance at des.nc.gov. The deadline to apply is December 2.
• Residents in a federally declared disaster area can apply for unemployment assistance online at des.nc.gov or by calling the DUA Hotline.
  • English – 919-629-3857
  • Spanish – 919-276-5698

NCWorks Career Centers are Open to Help Residents in Impacted Counties

• NCWorks Career Centers provide free services to help connect NC jobseekers with employers and are open for people that need internet or computer access to apply for DUA.
• Evacuated residents can visit NCWorks online at NCWorks.gov to find an open Career Center nearby.
• Updates on weather-related closings are available at nc.works/closings.
• Residents can call the NCWorks Career Center system at 1-855-NCWorks (855-629-6757).
• 22 Career Centers in the three affected Prosperity Zones are open:
  1. Anson County: 514 N. Washington St, Lockhart-Taylor Center, Wadesboro, NC
  2. Ashe County: 626 Ashe Central School Road Unit 5, Jefferson, NC
  3. Burke County: 720 East Union Street, Morganton, NC
  4. Cabarrus County: 845 Church Street North, Suite 201, Concord, NC
  5. Caldwell County: 1909 Hickory Blvd SE, Lenoir, NC
  6. Catawba County: 403 Conover Station, SE, Suite C, Conover, NC
  7. Cleveland County: 404 E. Marion Street, Shelby, NC
  8. Gaston County: 1391 Bessemer City Road, Gastonia, NC
  9. Haywood County: 1170 North Main Street, Waynesville, NC
  10. Iredell County: 133 Island Ford Road, Statesville, NC
  11. Jackson County: 26 Ridgeway Street, Suite 2, Sylva, NC
  12. Lincoln County: 529 N. Aspen Street, Lincolnton, NC 
  13. Macon County: 5 West Main Street, Franklin, NC
  14. McDowell County: 316 Baldwin Avenue, Suite 1, Marion, NC
  15. Mecklenburg County: 8601 McAlpine Park Drive, Suite 110, Charlotte, NC
  16. Rowan County: 1904 South Main Street, Salisbury, NC
  17. Rutherford County: 223 Charlotte Road, Rutherfordton, NC
  18. Stanly County: 944 N. First Street, Albemarle, NC
  19. Tri-County (Cherokee, Graham, Clay): 800 US Hwy 64 West, Murphy, NC
  20. Union County: 1125 Skyway Drive, Monroe, NC
  21. Watauga County: 130 Poplar Grove Connector, Boone, NC
  22. Wilkes County: 1320 West D Street Suite #2, North Wilkesboro, NC
• 8 Career Centers are closed:
  1. NCWorks Access Point - Avery County
  2. NCWorks Access Point -Mitchell County
  3. NCWorks Access Point - Yancey County
  4. NCWorks Affiliate Center - Swain County
  5. NCWorks Career Center - Buncombe County
  6. NCWorks Career Center - Henderson County
  7. NCWorks Career Center - Madison County
  8. NCWorks Career Center - Transylvania County

Small Business Owners Can Apply for Disaster Assistance and Loans through SBA

• Some self-employed people are eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), unlike with traditional Unemployment Insurance.
• The weekly benefit amounts of DUA are currently the same as they would be for traditional Unemployment Insurance.
• For more information, see www.des.nc.gov/dua.
• U.S. SBA Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available to help business and homeowners recover from federally declared disasters.
• SBA announced both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans for businesses and residents of Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
• Small businesses and nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are only eligible to apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs): Cherokee, Graham, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Surry, Swain and Yadkin counties.
• People can apply here: MySBA Loan Portal 

Welcome Centers & the Commerce Tourism Call Center

• Welcome Centers have been distributing a significant number of NCDOT highway maps, as well as maps of the Asheville and Henderson areas, for First Responders and Dominion Electric Company crews.
• Visitors stopping at the Welcome Centers are requesting maps to help navigate due to the lack of cell service.
• Two (2) Closed Welcome Centers:
  • I-26W – Mars Hill:  NC/TN Stateline. Center is closed, but rest open is open.
  • I-40W – Waynesville: NC/TN Stateline. Closed.  I-40 Eastbound at the NC/TN Stateline is washed away.
• Seven (7) Welcome Centers Open and Fully-Operational 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • I-26E – Columbus:  NC/SC Stateline, helping visitors travelling Westbound on I-26.
  • I-77N – Dobson: NC/VA Stateline, helping visitors traveling Southbound on I-77.
  • I-77S – Charlotte: NC/ SC Stateline, helping visitors travelling Northbound on I-77.
  • I-85N– Norlina: NC/ VA Stateline, helping visitors travelling Southbound on I-85.
  • I-85S– Kings Mountain: NC/SC Stateline, helping Visitors traveling Northbound on I-85.
  • I-95N – Roanoke Rapids: NC/ VA Stateline, helping visitors traveling Southbound on I-95.
  • I-95S – Rowland: NC/SC Stateline, helping visitors traveling Northbound on I-95.

• Tourism Call Center

  • 8,128 incoming calls answered between September 25 - October 2, 2024
  • Calls answered NC DOT 511 and NCDOT Customer Service, 1-800-VisitNC, and 1-800-By-Train, between averaging 1,016 calls per day.

VisitNC

VisitNC leads North Carolina's support for the state's tourism industry

• Southwestern NC has escaped the storm with minimal impact, including the counties of Swain, Graham, Cherokee and Macon and Clay.
• Swain County (Cities of Cherokee, Bryson City and Fontana Village): lodging, attractions, shops, and restaurants are open with power, water (no boil advisories), internet, gas, and food:
  • Lodging is open, including hotels, motels, and vacation rentals.
  • Restaurants are receiving their regular food deliveries and are open for business.
  • Gasoline suppliers are delivering fuel to the gas stations.
  • Most, if not all, internet providers are operational.
  • Grocery stores in Bryson City and Cherokee are well stocked and receiving regular supplies of food items.
  • The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is open and operating
  • The Great Smoky Mountain National Park is open in some locations, including US 441 between Cherokee and Gatlinburg and Deep Creek outside of Bryson City. Fontana Dam and Fontana Village are open and operating. Fontana Lake did not experience any flooding and is open for recreational use.
• Cherokee County (Communities of Murphy and Andrews): lodging, attractions, shops, and restaurants are open with power, water (no boil advisories), internet, gas, and food available. Helene had minimal impact. Roads in the area are not damaged. Nearly all businesses are open. The food and gas are available. There are no issues with power, water or Internet service.
• Macon County (Communities of Franklin and Highlands): lodging, attractions, shops, and restaurants are open with power, water (no boil advisories), internet, gas, and food available. Most businesses are open. Power and Internet are generally back; most areas have cell service. The gas, food and water situation is fine. Some internet and cell service issues remain in Highlands.
• Graham County (Communities of Robbinsville, Fontana Dam): lodging, attractions, shops, and restaurants are open with power, water (no boil advisories), gas, and food is available. Some internet and cell service issues remain in Graham County.
• Clay County (Communities of Hayesville and Brasstown): lodging, attractions, shops, and restaurants are open with power, water (no boil advisories), internet, gas, and food available.