Residents want to know what's next after Matthew's historic flooding
EDGECOMBE COUNTY RESIDENTS AND
HURRICANE MATTHEW VICTIMS CAME
LOOKING FOR ANSWERS AND FOR
HELP.
MANY OF THEM HAVE NO PLACE TO
CALL HOME.
HELLO AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING
US.
I'M GERALD OWENS.
>> THE GOVERNOR AND OTHER
LEADERS LISTENED TO HURRICANE
VICTIMS SHARE THEIR STORIES IN
A MEETING THAT WAS VERY CANDID
AND EMOTIONAL.
KATHRYN BROWN WAS THERE AND
JOINS US LIVE FROM PRINCEVILLE
WITH THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
THEY'RE GETTING.
>> Reporter: YOU GOT THAT
RIGHT.
IT WAS VERY EMOTIONAL JUST
LISTENING TO THE STORIES COME
IN ONE AFTER THE NEXT.
YOU TAKE A DRIVE AROUND
PRINCEVILLE AND EDGECOMBE
COUNTY AND YOU CAN SEE WHY.
GOVERNOR McCRORY AND THOSE
OTHER DISASTER RELIEF LEADER
WHO WERE THERE TODAY, THEY ARE
NOT ONLY TO TAKE QUESTIONS BUT
ALSO, THEY SAID, TO LISTEN TO
WHAT PEOPLE, STORM VICTIMS,
NEED THE MOST.
SIX WEEKS AFTER HURRICANE
MATTHEW PUMMELED NORTH
CAROLINA, THE TOWN OF
PRINCEVILLE IS STILL HEART
BREAKINGLY EMPTY.
PILES OF DEBRIS LINE THE
STREETS.
SHOPS REMAIN CLOSED.
RESIDENTS REMAIN FRUSTRATED.
>> WE ARE TIRED OF RUNNING.
WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FARTHER
FROM THE RIVER.
>> Reporter: DAISY STATEN ASKED
ABOUT A BUYOUT.
MANY REBUILT AFTER HURRICANE
FLOYD ONLY TO REBUILD AGAIN
NOW.
GOVERNOR McCRORY URGED THEM TO
ACT FAST.
>> BECAUSE WHAT WE DON'T WANT
TO DO IS BEGIN SOMETHING IN
WHICH WE MAY BE REPEATING THE
MISTAKES OF THE PAST.
YOU UNDERSTAND THE POINT I'M
MAKING?
THE LONGER YOU WAIT, THE MORE
DIFFICULT IT IS TO MAKE THE
DIFFICULT DECISIONS.
>> ID INTO SOME HELP.
>> Reporter: JENNY LIVES NEARBY
OR DID UNTIL THE FLOODS FORCED
HER OUT.
HER PLEA FOR FEMA ASSISTANCE
WAS DENIED.
>> I'M PAYING FOR HOTELS OUT OF
MY POCKET.
TOMORROW, WE HAVE TO BE OUT OF
THE HOTEL SO WHAT DO I DO?
>> Reporter: FEMA ADMITS THERE
ARE COMMUNICATION GAPS BUT SAYS
VICTIMS SHOULD BE RELENTLESS IN
THEIR EFFORTS TO GET THE HELP
THEY NEED.
>> YOU WILL RECOVER.
YOU WILL COME BACK.
IT MAY LOOK DIFFERENT BUT WALK
WITH US THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
LET US WALK WITH YOU.
>> I DON'T WANT ANY MONEY.
I DON'T WANT THEM TO GIVE ME
ANYTHING.
IF THEY GIVE ME ATENT, I'LL PUT
IT IN MY BACKYARD.
I JUST WANT TO BE IN MY OWN
HOUSE.
>> Reporter: IT WAS HEART
BREAKING TO SIT THERE AND
LISTEN TO THE STORIES ONE AFTER
THE NEXT JUST COMING IN FROM
THESE FOLKS WHO REALLY JUST
WANT SOME ANSWERS.
GOVERNOR McCRORY IS EXPECTED TO
CALL A SPECIAL SESSION OF
LAWMAKERS EARLIER NEXT MONTH,
HE SAYS HE WANT TO BE ABLE TO
GO TO THEM WITH SPECIFIC NEEDS
FROM SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES AND
THOSE COMMUNITIES RESPONSIBLE
FOR GETTING THOSE NEEDS
TOGETHER.
>> IT IS HEART BREAKING.
THANK YOU.