Operation Anchor

Prayers to WNC right now.

BREAKING: Torrential rain triggered dangerous flooding and mudslides across Bat Cave and Chimney Rock in Henderson County, North Carolina, leaving behind devastating damage throughout the mountain communities. Fast moving floodwater surged through farmland and low lying areas near the Broad River, completely destroying the first raspberry crops farmers had managed to grow since Hurricane Helene.

For many growers, this was supposed to be the first successful raspberry season since Helene devastated the region. Now entire fields sit underwater again, with floodwater wiping out rows of crops just as communities were beginning to recover.

One resident said, “We spent months trying to recover from Helene just to lose everything all over again.”

Please keep the Bat Cave and Chimney Rock communities in your thoughts, as they recover from another setback after already enduring Hurricane Helene.

The N.C. Forest Service (NCFS) is offering a new program, the Timber Loss Relief Program (TLRP), that compensates forest landowners who lost timber as a result of Hurricane Helene.
Application for this program began April 20, 2026 and concludes June 12, 2026. To apply for TLRP funds, landowners should contact their NCFS county office.
Learn more about the program: https://forestry.ces.ncsu.edu/news/financial-assistance-for-timberland-owners-following-hurricane-helene