WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris is heading to North Carolina on Saturday as the state recovers from Hurricane Helene, arriving there one day after a visit by Republican Donald Trump, who is spreading false claims about the federal response to the disaster.

Earlier in the week, Harris was in Georgia, where she helped distribute meals, toured the damage and consoled families hard-hit by the storm. President Joe Biden, too, visited the disaster zone. During stops over two days in the Carolinas, Florida and Georgia, Biden surveyed the damage and met with farmers whose crops have been destroyed.

The two have been vocal and visible about the government’s willingness to help, and the administration’s efforts so far include covering costs for all of the rescue and recovery efforts across the Southeast for several months as states struggle under the weight of the mass damage.

In a letter late Friday to congressional leaders, Biden wrote that while the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Relief Fund “has the resources it requires right now to meet immediate needs, the fund does face a shortfall at the end of the year.” He also called on lawmakers to act quickly to restore funding to the Small Business Administration’s disaster loan program.

More than 200 people have died. It’s the worst storm to hit the U.S. mainland since Katrina in 2005, and scientists have warned such storms will only worsen in the face of climate change.

But in this overheated election year, even natural disasters have become deeply politicized as the candidates crisscross the disaster area and in some cases visit the same venues to win over voters in battleground states.

Trump has falsely claimed the Biden administration isn’t doing enough to help impacted people in Republican areas and has harshly criticized the response. He has, in Helene’s aftermath, espoused falsehoods about climate change, calling it “one of the great scams of all time.”

During a stop in Fayetteville, North Carolina on Thursday, Trump renewed his complaints about the federal response and cited “lousy treatment to North Carolina in particular.” In fact, the state’s Democratic governor, Roy Cooper, said this week the state has already seen more than 50,000 people be registered for FEMA assistance, and about $6 billion has been paid out.

Biden, meanwhile, has suggested the Republican House speaker is withholding critical disaster funding.

Harris’ visits, meanwhile, present an additional political test in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. She’s trying to step into a role for which Biden is well known — showing the empathy that Americans expect in times of tragedy — in the closing stretch of her White House campaign.

Until this week, she had not visited the scene of a humanitarian crisis as vice president — that duty was reserved for Biden, who has frequently been called on to survey damage and console victims after tornadoes, wildfires, tropical storms and more.

Harris said this week that she wanted to “personally take a look at the devastation, which is extraordinary.” She expressed admiration for how “people are coming together. People are helping perfect strangers.”

She said that shows ”the vast majority of us have so much more in common than what separates us,” an echo of a line she frequently uses on the campaign trail.

“We are here for the long haul,” she said.

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Associated Press writers Makiya Seminera in Boone, North Carolina, and Meg Kinnard in Fayetteville, North Carolina, contributed.

Officials in the state have taken steps to help by ordering medications for people who are stung by the insects.

The devastation from Hurricane Helene in North Carolina and the Southeast has left more than 200 dead, swallowed entire towns and left thousands without power or drinking water. Now, another problem has arisen from the storm: yellow jackets.

Severe flooding in the state stirred up colonies of the insects as their habitats were likely destroyed by floodwaters, a phenomenon that, according to an emailed statement from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, is fairly normal.

“It is normal for bees, yellow jackets, and other stinging insects to be temporarily disrupted after a Hurricane,” the statement said.

“Basically, if their nest is destroyed, then they have nowhere to go back to,” Matt Bertone, director of the NC State Entomology Department, explained to the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. “If they’ve escaped, if they haven’t drowned, they’re gonna be out and about, not knowing what to do.”

However, officials are taking the threat of these insects seriously, as they have taken measures to make sure medications like Benadryl and epinephrine will be readily available in the affected areas.

“We are actively working to ensure Benadryl and epinephrine are readily available in western NC for those who may be allergic or have been stung,” the statement said.

Why these medicines?

Medications like Benadryl help deal with symptoms associated with wasp or bee stings. Although the majority of people are not allergic to stings, medications like Benadryl help reduce symptoms like pain, itching or swelling that could develop after a sting.

On the other hand, epinephrine injections, more commonly known as EpiPens are used for people who do have severe allergic reactions to stings from bees, wasps or in this case yellow jackets.

“We have made a large purchase of epi-pens and Benadryl and are filling requests and distributing through EMS, hospitals, providers, etc,” the department said.

Yellow jackets can be particularly dangerous

Yellow jackets are typically more aggressive than bees, as they can both sting a person multiple times but can signal other yellow jackets to attack the same person, swarming them, according to insect repellent company Raid.

Officials in North Carolina are also taking steps to allow people to refill allergy prescriptions to avoid any complications.

“The NC Board of Pharmacy has flexibility so that people can get emergency refills on their prescribed allergy medicines. We are working to issue a standing order for Epi-pens for people to get medicines if they do not have a prescription from a provider,” the email said.

Contributing: Iris Seaton, Asheville Citizen Times

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_. 

(This article will be updated. Read our earlier coverage here.)

It’s been a week since Tropical Storm Helene marched through North Carolina, bringing heavy rains to already water-logged areas. The storm left communities devastated, roads impassable and thousands without power.

The state’s death toll climbed to at least 108 people Thursday as searches continued for hundreds of missing residents throughout Western North Carolina, officials said.

More communities were beginning to transition from relief to recovery by Friday, but many local and state officials cautioned them, saying a return to normalcy would take weeks, not days, as the full scope of Helene’s devastation is not expected to be known for some time.

Check back for live updates as they roll in throughout the day Friday.

The first fatality related to Tropical Storm Helene in McDowell County has been confirmed, according to an Oct. 4 news release from the county. The identity of the deceased is being withheld out of respect for the family, officials said.

Rescue teams in the county are continuing to search for missing individuals and provide aid – the county suggests the Helene Hotline at 828-652-3241 for reporting missing persons or requesting assistance. As of Friday morning, McDowell emergency personnel numbers were over 600.

The death toll in Western North Carolina had risen to at least 108 people Thursday with officials saying the number could climb even higher as search efforts continue throughout the region.In hard-hit Buncombe County, 72 deaths had been confirmed so far, according to Sheriff Quentin Miller.

— Iris Seaton, Citizen-Times

The death toll in Western North Carolina had risen to at least 108 people Thursday with officials saying the number could climb even higher as search efforts continue throughout the region.

In hard-hit Buncombe County, 72 deaths had been confirmed so far, according to Sheriff Quentin Miller.

Avery County Manager Philip Barrier on Tuesday confirmed five deaths from Helene floodwaters after false information began circulating on social media, claiming 200 people had died in the county seat of Newland.

And in a report from Henderson County Thursday, Chief Communications Officer Mike Morgan confirmed there had been nine deaths as a result of Tropical Storm Helene.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reports the following deaths in the following counties:

• Yancey: Nine
• Cleveland: Two
• Watauga: Two
• Burke: One
• Catawba: One
• Gaston: One
• Macon: One
• Madison: One
• Mecklenburg: One
• Polk: One
• Rutherford: One
• Yadkin: One

— Staff Reports

Hot meals for hurricane survivors: A comprehensive guide is up now

Looking for a hot meal, water or other supplies or food boxes? There’s now a comprehensive county by county listing for all of WNC to assist in the effort. Find it here.

Buncombe County: Important updates to know

FEMA is on the ground. The nation’s top Incident Management Team is here from New York City. Electricity is slowly coming back, and resources are getting distributed with greater reach, but WNC is still in crisis and the extent of the damage is still being assessed.

Recovery briefings are broadcast at 88.1 FM and on Buncombe County’s Facebook page at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day.

For updated city information each day, click here.  For updated County information, click here.

FINDING THE MISSING

During the Thursday afternoon briefing, officials estimated that more than 200 people remain missing in Buncombe County. For those missing a family member or friend, complete this form to notify Buncombe Co. officials.   

Other organizations are also working on missing persons requests: The United Way is conducting welfare checks and active searches. Please use this form to connect with United Way’s reunification program. The Red Cross has helpful tips for getting in touch and, if you are looking for people who have not been found, you can use this form. People can also request wellness checks by texting “Person” to 40403. That goes to NC 211 and the texter will get a link to a form.

URGENT CARE SERVICES

Mercy Urgent Care has walk-in locations open at the following addresses from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.:

• West Asheville: 1201 Patton Ave.
• Weaverville: 61 Weaver Blvd.
• Brevard: 22 Trust Lane
• Waynesville: 120 Frazier St.
• Foothills: 140 W Mills St.

Novant Go-Health Urgent Care, 349 New Leicester Highway, is open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Please note, these facilities treat non-life-threatening conditions. For emergencies, dial 911.

TRASH AND RECYCLING

Residents can take trash to the county landfill, 85 Panther Branch Road in Alexander. Wastepro is scheduled to announce about Friday pick up Thursday. Also on Thursday, Wastepro will have three drop off locations for trash. Storm debris will not be collected. Here are the sites:

Ingles @ 2901 Hendersonville Road in Fletcher

Ingles @ 1865 1865 Hendersonville Road in Asheville

Ingles @ 225 Charlotte Highway in Asheville

DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AVAILABLE

People in Buncombe County who are unemployed as a direct result of Hurricane Helene may be eligible for unemployment benefits. Business owners and self-employed individuals affected by the storm may also qualify for benefits.

• People have 60 days from Oct. 1 to file an application for DUA at des.nc.gov. The deadline to apply is Dec. 2, 2024. If you are not able to file through the website, you can call the DUA Hotline at 919-629-3857.
• To get DUA benefits, all required documentation must be submitted within 21 days from the day the DUA application is filed. DES will work with people who cannot provide all documentation to ensure that their unemployment benefits are not delayed.

— Staff Reports