When recovery workers with the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) arrived in Boone, North Carolina, after Hurricane Helene and began setting up temporary housing in a local park, it prompted a backlash in the storm-wracked town.
"We had folks that were literally protesting FEMA out at the site,” says Tim Futrelle, Boone’s mayor.
Nearby in Swannanoa, on the outskirts of Asheville, there were rumors that officials were covering up the true death toll from the storm. The deputy fire chief took to Facebook and begged the public to stop sharing "sensationalized” information.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.