Hurricane Helene relief: Mules helping to bring supplies to residents in North Carolina
A mule packer ranch in North Carolina is lending some helping "hooves" and delivering much-needed supplies and first aide to communities in the mountains who have been impacted by the damage from Hurricane Helene.
"Busy morning as we loaded lots of equipment, supplies, and MULES, to leave for WNC! Please know that we appreciate EVERY kind word, gesture of support, and all that are partnering with us to HELP all that we can!" the Mountain Mule Packer Ranch wrote in a post on Facebook.
"We will be setting up a staging area and beginning to assist this afternoon and will be bringing up additional loads of supplies once mules are in place!"
The group took off for Weaverville, North Carolina, on Sunday, where they were able to drop off a large supply stash. They then moved on to Montreat on Tuesday. They also partnered with the "Cajun Navy," which is another group of civilian volunteers, according to the organization.
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"Mike and the mule team made it to their staging area in Montreat yesterday and have already been helpful to families in need! They will be doing all they can in Black Mountain today," the group wrote.
"One of the first families helped yesterday were in desperate need of insulin, and Mountain Mule Packers was able to get it up this otherwise impassable road!!" the group wrote.
The group has logged their journey online and is accepting donations to purchase supplies.
"Thankful to Five 11's Livestock Hauling for offering help in hauling mules so we could bring more supplies up! And appreciate being able to help support Cajun Navy 2016 on their efforts as well! The team here at the ranch will be shopping for more supplies today, to restock them tomorrow!" the group said in an update Tuesday morning.
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The organization said they appreciate the massive outpouring of requests about how people can get supplies to them, but said due to the conditions in the mountains, coordinating supplies has been difficult.
"We broke the register at Walmart!!!! The system was not prepared for such a large order and they are having to scan EVERYTHING again and in two transactions....so We are going to be at Food Lion in Cleveland a little bit late! But We are on the way!!! Thank you for your patience!!!!!" the group posted in an update.
As of Tuesday evening, at least 160 people have died as a result of Hurricane Helene across the six states affected, as the search for missing people in North Carolina continues.
Helene is the third-deadliest hurricane to strike the mainland U.S. in the last 55 years, topped only by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Camille in 1969, Fox Weather confirmed.
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President Biden announced he will travel to the region on Wednesday and is expected to visit Asheville, North Carolina, to get a firsthand look at the devastation. Biden is also expected to visit Florida and Georgia.
Helene made landfall late Thursday night in Florida’s Big Bend region as a monster Category 4 hurricane with winds of 140 mph. It destroyed buildings and brought down trees and power lines across the Southeast.
While cleanup operations continue in western North Carolina, resources from across the U.S. are flowing into areas that desperately need help.
"Our emergency responders are continuing to rescue people and rush aid to the mountains," North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said on Tuesday. "The challenges are immense, but our joint response effort has and will continue to be massive."
Fox News Digital's Steven Yablonski and Emilee Speck contributed to this report.