State hurricane recovery panel checks out Fayetteville damage

The floodwaters from Hurricane Matthew are long gone, but the devastation and heartbreak left in the storm's wake remain in many parts of Fayetteville.
Posted 11/22/2016, 12:09:09 AM Updated 9/23/2025, 7:51:35 PM

>>> IT HAS BEEN 6 WEEKS SINCE

OBAMA DECLARED A DISASTER

FOLLOWING HURRICANE MATTHEW.

73,000 PEOPLE IN 45 COUNTIES

HAVE CONTACTED FEMA FOR

INFORMATION OR ASSISTANCE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

MORE THAN $152 MILLION IN

FEDERAL DISASTER FUNDS WERE

APPROVED.

THAT INCLUDES MORE THAN $76

MILLION IN GRANTS THAT WILL

HELP HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS THE

NEED A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE.

IN RESPONSE THE GOVERNOR ASKED

FOR $1 BILLION IN FEDERAL

ASSISTANCE.

HE SAYS MATTHEW CAUSED $2

MILLION OR THE ECONOMIC DAMAGE.

THE GOVERNOR FORMED A HURRICANE

MATTHEW RECOVERY COMMITTEE.

HE HAS BEEN TRAVELING THE STATE

HARDEST HIT AREAS.

THEY STOPPED IN FAYETTEVILLE

TODAY.

WE GO LIVE TO AN AREA

DEVASTATED BY THE STORM.

>> Reporter: THE TEAM, THIS IS

THE 3rd MEETING OF THE

HURRICANE RECOVERY TEAM.

2 MORE ARE PLANNED.

THERE ARE STILL SOME

CHALLENGES.

THIS HOUSE HAS DEBRIS AND THIS

OWNER SAYS HE'S GOING TO HAVE

TO RAISE THE HOUSE IF HE WANTS

TO STAY.

THERE ARE POCKETS OF

DEVASTATION AROUND THE CITY AND

COUNTY.

THIS HOMEOWNER AND 3 OTHER

FAMILIES ARE IN NEED OF HELP.

HURRICANE MATTHEW CAUSED THE

CREEK TO CLIMB ITS BANKS AND

CREATE A SINK HOLE IN HER

BACKYARD.

ENGINEERS SAY ALL HOMES -- ALL

4 HOMES MAY FALL OVER THE CLIFF

INTO THE CREEK.

>> WE TRY TO FILL IT BUT THE

WATER TAKES BACK OUT.

WE KEEP TRYING.

>> Reporter: SHE SAYS FEMA WILL

NOT HELP BECAUSE RIGHT NOW HER

HOUSE IS NOT DAMAGED.

SHE LIVES 2 DOORS DOWN.

SHE SAYS SHE AND HER CHILDREN

ARE IN IMMINENT DANGER.

>> AS YOU SEE IT'S ONLY 3 STEPS

OUT THE BACK DOOR IS 8 138 DROP.

YOU CAN FIX THIS.

I CAN'T SELL THIS HOME.

>> Reporter: THE GOVERNOR WANTS

LOCAL AGENCIES TO MAKE QUICK

DECISIONS ABOUT A LONG-TERM

RECOVERY PLAN FOR PEOPLE WERE

HAVING PROBLEMS.

THE CITY ISN'T ISSUING ANY

BUILDING PERMITS FOR HOMES WITH

50 PERCENT DAMAGE.

BUT WHAT ABOUT HOMES IN AREAS

WE NOW KNOW ARE PRONE TO

FLOODING?

>> IS THIS AREA IN A FLOOD AREA

OR WAS IT FLOODED BECAUSE OF

THE BREACH OF A DAM OR

SOMETHING ELSE THE FAILED?

>> THE FOLKS THAT LIVE ON RIDGE

MANOR DON'T CARE WHY IT'S

HAPPENING, THEY JUST WANT HELP.

>> NO ONE PLAN FOR HURRICANE

MATTHEW BECAUSE THIS IS NATURE.

>> Reporter: UNFORTUNATELY SHE

MISSED THE MEETING BECAUSE SHE

HAD A DOCTORS APPOINTMENT.

BUT THERE IS STILL SOME DAMAGE

OUT HERE.

NO RESIDENTS ACTUALLY GOT IN

FRONT OF THE COMMITTEE.

SHE SAYS IT'S NOT BECAUSE THERE

ARE PROBLEMS.

THERE ARE PROBLEMS THERE

LOOKING TO RESOLVE.

>> SO MANY PROBLEMS.