Been watching 'Helene aftermath' on Youtube, some are hiking into devastated areas to confirm or deny the rumors. So far, the rumors are not true, folks are getting help and working together.
30 inches of rain on those mountain slopes is a major geological event.
The rumors I've seen are not true.
FEMA helped here financially. The $750 was to meet immediate needs, but they also help with needs while awaiting insurance help (some of this has to be repayed - if, for example, insurance ends up covering what FEMA paid to cover, which is fair).
I have not seen FEMA on the ground, but I would think that they were instrumental in getting the help from other power companies in unaffected states. And NC got hit worse than we did. We still have areas without power, but we are 95% up and running. We did not have the damage we have seen north of here.
Some of the issues is where people affected live. It is bad, and political parties will capitalize on the fact instant relief is not possible.
This close in the election running on rumors is a given. That's why the GOP continues rumors about FEMA. That's why Harris said she called DeSantis to offer help and him not answering (he said she never called - But he has been in touch with Biden...i.e., the POTUS...and Biden confirmed this).
Politics wouldn't be politics without using a disaster as a political tool. It'd be like WWE without hitting.