Chimney Rock teams work to rebuild the city and debunk online rumors

RUTHERFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) – A week after the storm, there is a clear message from Chimney Rock: Most of the city may be gone, but the spirit to rebuild is not.

“This is the worst we've ever seen, but we'll get through it and the community support is just great,” said developer Dale Sheilds.

Shields is a local resident and is already working tirelessly to bring back what was lost.

“The whole city isn’t gone. We still have the road. Yes, there is still a lot to come, but we will get there; a lot will have to be rebuilt,” Shields said. “We’re coming back, we have good crews here working out their stories. We have food, we have water, we have soldiers to help us. We’ll be back.”

NORTH CAROLINIERS RECEIVE FEMA AID FOR HURRICANE HELENE DAMAGE

Emergency officials confirmed to News 13 that 71 welfare checks are currently underway and that 800 people are safe. We're told 200 people have been evacuated from the area.

Now local officials say they are focused on rebuilding while also working to clear up misinformation online.

“The main rumor we want to dispel is that Chimney Rock will not be seized by the government,” said Kerry Giles, Rutherford emergency public information officer.

Giles said there have been three confirmed deaths.

“We don’t have bodies washing up on shore or floating down the river,” she said. “We are working on the rubble. If we find more we will report them, but we do not have the massive fatalities reported.”

The first part of the cleanup is to remove the washed-in hazards.

“CHIMNEY ROCK STRONG”: LOCAL FAMILY STRUGGLES TO SAVE THE SPIRIT OF THE HOMELAND AND THE REGION

“The main effort at this time is to clear streets and the next step will be clearing debris that is in the lake and clogged around City Hall,” Giles said.

Chimney Rock Mayor Peter O'Leary says his main goal is to get businesses and homeowners back as soon as it's safe.

“I was told that there are three teams working on three highways and that they will all converge on Bat Cave. That should calm people down on highways and takeovers and all that,” O'Leary said.

He urges the public to trust official updates and not rumors on social media.

“I would tell people that anything that sounds strange and crazy is not true,” O'Leary said.

As the work begins, O'Leary is honest about the reality facing the city.

“The old Chimney Rock you remember is no longer there, but the spirit of Chimney Rock and the new Chimney Rock that will emerge from it is very much alive and growing,” O'Leary said.

Officials tell News 13 about 14,000 people are still without power in Lake Lure and Chimney Rock. Search and rescue operations for survivors still take place daily.

Officials are also urging the public not to return to the area yet, saying that as crews rebuild roads, they need the easiest ingress and egress access possible.

Here is the press release from Rutherford County Emergency Management from October 4th at 11 a.m.:

DAILY BRIEFING ON THE RUTHERFORD COUNTY HURRICANE
October 4th, 11:00 a.m

MISSING PERSONS:

Thanks to the sheriff's office and FBI team's diligent efforts in verifying all missing persons, over 800 individuals have been confirmed safe. There are currently 71 active welfare checks underway. To report a missing person, please email [email protected].

TOTAL DEATH NUMBER: 3

Evacuations:

About 200 people were evacuated from Lake Lure and Chimney Rock.

Monetary donations:

The best way to support the relief efforts is through monetary donations. 100% of your donations will go toward disaster relief in Rutherford County. Locally, the RHI Legacy Foundation will match any donation up to $50,000 at www.rhilegacyfoundation.com. Donations can also be made to United Way of Rutherford County at www.unitedwayofrutherford.org. All donations are tax deductible.

POWER OUTAGES:

Duke Energy: 10,452 customers without power

Rutherford Electric: 3,568 customers without power

Forest City Electric: All power has been restored

VOLUNTEERS:

To support disaster recovery efforts, please email [email protected].

RESIDENTS IN LAKE LURE AND CHIMNEY ROCK:

Residents are now allowed to return to their homes but must show proof of residency at certain checkpoints. Access to Chimney Rock via the bridge is strictly prohibited. Through traffic is currently not permitted in the Lake Lure Town Center area near Lake Lure Beach and beyond. Energy and cleanup teams are actively deployed in these areas. Therefore, please drive slowly and carefully.

EMERGENCY SHELTER:

Located at RS Central High School, 641 US-221, Rutherfordton, NC 28139.

FEMA:

FEMA is on site and will remain throughout the recovery effort.

AVAILABLE RESOURCES:

We thank the many churches, businesses and nonprofits that provide vital services, especially hot meals that greatly benefit those without power and resources, as well as our emergency personnel. Many locations offer laundry services, showers, food and water.

Special thanks to the Harford County, MD Incident Management Team for supporting our Emergency Operations Center.