The Southeast Is Reeling From Hurricane Helene - Here's How You Can Help

Our hearts go out to everyone affected by Hurricane Helene. If you want to find ways to help, consider donating to one of the organizations listed here: colbertlateshow....
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Stephen Colbert brings his signature satire and comedy to THE LATE SHOW with STEPHEN COLBERT, the #1 show in late night, where he talks with an eclectic mix of guests about what is new and relevant in the worlds of politics, entertainment, business, music, technology and more. Featuring bandleader Louis Cato and “THE LATE SHOW band,” the Peabody Award-winning and Emmy Award-nominated show is broadcast from the historic Ed Sullivan Theater. Stephen Colbert took over as host, executive producer and writer of THE LATE SHOW on Sept. 8, 2015.

[@x_warhog_x8701]

Thank you Stephen for this my 78 yr old mother lives in Asheville NC and I hadn't heard from her since Wednesday the 26th but finally heard from her Monday morning she is fine and in a shelter near the hospital since she is terminal with pulmonary fibrosis and on Oxygen 24/7 but they all need any help and supplies that anyone can spare.

[@Kelz-c]

🙏🏾

[@judybelight8041]

World central kitchen arrived Monday and has helicopters delivering to cut off areas

[@dee_dee_place]

And that is why I support Chef José Andrés & WCK. When others are talking about what to do, WCK is doing it. Bless all of you.

[@y0sarian]

@@dee_dee_placepretty sure homie qualifies for sainthood at this point. People like him are sorely needed.

[@JanetBeebe-nh9re]

But not the F.E.M.A.

[@kimh5566]

FEMA most certainly is involved and helping. Other federal and state entities as well. Biden approved Federal aid before Helene made landfall. ​@@JanetBeebe-nh9re

[@jasonezzell6901]

Thank you for using your platform to bring attention to this.

[@ninehundreddollarluxuryyac5958]

I was just going to type the exact same comment. Connecting people with charities that will help is a great use of the airtime.

[@wocookie2277]

People say what’s a couple degrees of warming, warmer climate. Yet we forget the heat becomes fuel for these monsters, and when every year is worse than the past decade. As a student of earths cycles with a degree, I can say, we ain’t seen nothing yet. Imagine these size of storms, one right after another through the entire season. Remember rich people , who think only of the bottom line, this costs money and eventually even you will be affected.

[@breal7277]

Exxon-Mobile exec would be sending someone to pay you a "visit" if he could find you. Those people are evil and are willing to sell their souls to the devil for profit. Greed is king in the US. Never mind the elections.

[@MichelleInfinity]

So true

[@10Exahertz]

theres another storm already brewing that may follow the same path. A weaker storm in terms of wind speeds but if it were to bring any more water to NC it could seriously be catastrophic.

[@cogboy302]

At a very recent rally, tr*mp was saying some folk were leaving because he arrived late, because his plane was delayed by a 'little hurricane.' Yep, he said that.

[@bee-sg1qf]

Because he don’t believe in climate change. Plus he don’t care about people. He’s using this as a campaign stunt. He really is a sociopath

[@captainmercy87]

Yet, there are millions who say, with a straight face, that he’s kind and he’s a man of the people. I honestly don’t get how he has any support, let alone millions. Is it just the racism that’s attractive?

[@MrNukedawhales]

@@captainmercy87 cant be the hair...

[@amyreynolds3619]

I'm surprised he didn't suggest that we could take out the hurricane with a missile. Yes, he did say that too. Unfreaking believable that there are some people who still support him.

[@VV-bk1wv]

Trump donated 25 million from his own pocket

[@pandoraeeris7860]

We should start naming hurricanes after oil companies.

[@_whatsername1911]

And Republican politicians

[@openyoureyesandseethefutur5802]

start naming hurricanes , earth disasters, Armageddon, Meteor that killed the dinosaurs, MTKTD, you get the idea

[@maryperry1773]

Hurricane Moscow Mitch has a ring to it.

[@shogun2215]

And whats particularly terrifying, is these storms are only going to get more intense as the world heats up.

[@KristenRowenPliske]

My family & I went through that during hurricane Harvey in 2017. Bottom floor flooded, our neighborhood cut off because of flooding for Several days. In some places, the water reached the overpasses on the freeway. When we bought the house 15 years earlier, We were told we didn’t need flood insurance because we weren’t in a flood plain. Well, we’ve got it now. I’ve lived on the gulf coast for almost 40 years & have been through several hurricanes. I have NEVER seen flooding like that. Climate change will continue to make things worse. I hope those families get the help & resources they need to recover. I wouldn’t Be surprised if quite a lot of them have PTSD after this; my kids & I did.

[@lazurusknight2724]

The unbelievable part is you having insurance. They ain't cancelled that on you yet?

[@pattygman4675]

Trump would get rid of NOAA. Should he win again. Well he will still have sharpies.

[@lifevest1]

He’d just replace staff with yes men and women.

[@triplemoonchildangel]

Kings Mountain, NC here. Power in town is out. My neighbors were without water for days. Luckily other family members had power so we’re just sticking it out in an RV until we have power again. So sad the people dealing with this. Please help your neighbors, and do what you can for everyone involved during these devastating events. Peace and love ❤️ Thank you Stephen!

[@michellejester9734]

We NEED a president who takes Climate Change SERIOUSLY folks! Things are only going to get worse if we continue ignoring it or laughing off scientists and the leftist who are all in. This year alone, I just don't know how anyone could still be a denier. Vote 💙 to save our little blue marble

[@seacrow53]

Believe me! If I wasn't in Canada I would SOOOOO be voting Blue!! My heart hurts for all affected by this horrendous storm.

[@zippySquirrelface]

The states hardest hit are the ones with stubborn diesel loving coal rolling fracker fans. When there is no storm or emergency they laugh at everyone else's efforts to minimize global climate change. They cut Tesla super chargers and unplug charging cars.. How do we go about feeing bad for them?

[@odeondanton]

Wanna help? Vote (climate deniers out of office) !

[@sandyfoxcroft809]

Yes!!;

[@finuistbirdpocket147]

Exactly!

[@Zett76]

And don't forget: The change starts with your commuting habits, and your dinner plate.

[@sevenflashowls]

@@Zett76sure but that’s too simplified. How we commute and eat are societal issues.

[@Symphing12]

​@@Zett76yes, personal responsibility is important, but we have to hold corporations accountable too!

[@latituderider]

I work as a trucker and had a load bound for Charlotte the day Helene hit. I escaped north but not without experiencing some of that destruction first hand. It's a bad scene... The people there really need our help. Donate to the Red Cross if you can.

[@stubbsmusic543]

Yes they need help. I'll say a silent prayer that they grow some sense of reality about their political views. That way they won't be punished by the God they pretend to worship.

[@dee_dee_place]

@@stubbsmusic543 AMEN! Play G-D with other people's lives & G-D WILL Answer!

[@nclibrarian8766]

Not all of us bow down at the throne of the orange one. Even if folks believe Trump’s lies these folks deserve help. Kindness and decency is surely something all folks deserve regardless of their political views. Thankfully it wasn’t too bad in my area. Asheville is a charming town and a definite blue dot in a purple state that has been gerrymandered for years. These folks are suffering and compassion should be for everyone.

[@mv80401]

@@nclibrarian8766 It is a 'blue dot', yes wrong wing conspiracy influencers are spreading, paradoxically, that Dems control the weather and made it happen.

[@anahata2009]

​@stubbsmusic543 you can't seriously believe that only Trump supporters were affected by this. Can you be that ridiculous? FYI Asheville is a very liberal place. Secondly, how does your willingness to ignore the suffering of others who don't share your political views make you somehow morally superior to them? You seem very confused.

[@micade2518]

How many more victims of climate change will it take before the USA - the richest and most powerful country in the world - before it begins to take the matter seriously, and ACT, i.e., stop effing up the Planet? - build environment friendly infrastructures such as a decent network of fast train, to get out of that lethal car dependency? - putting sustainability BEFORE $$$ mindset - build energy saving houses and buildings so as to get rid of the awful A/C dependency, as well as implementing solutions like this one, for example: watch on YT: "Paris's plan to ditch ACs and expand urban cooling system • FRANCE 24 English" - "green up" the cities like this, for example: "Paris' Grand Plan to Become Europe's Greenest City" - Tomorrow's Build, or this - "The Ancient Method Cooling One of Europe’s Hottest Cities" - Tomorrow's Build - "Why Skyscrapers Should Be Solar Farms" - Tomorrow's Build - etc. Food for thought; USA, take notes before you turn the A/C on!

[@EllaBee90]

Some of New-Brunswick's electric company trucks are going over there to help restore power lines. Canada's ready to help, dear friends.

[@DuelScreen]

We know and we are grateful. I live just east of Asheville. My wife got a text from the power company on Monday morning with an estimate to get power back by Friday around midnight. We got it back Monday at 3pm. :) The electricians are moving from the edges inward. The scale of this devastation is just vast. It's not like other hurricanes that are focused on the impact area. This was widespread and interacted with the mountainous geograpy with catastrophic results. Again, thank you so much!

[@davidmcgarry2715]

Colbert is such a legend. Apolitical at the right time. 👏

[@TovarPaulo]

Colbert is empathetic, If you think he is apolitical you don't understand the show

[@AZsunflower]

Please re-read the comment. Apolitical at the right time. Like now! ​@@TovarPaulo

[@MikMortsllak]

Hurricane Exxon would be a much better name.

[@gypsyhikermonica227]

Stephen, I am a teacher in Travelers Rest SC. We had lives lost, homes lost and it looks like Armageddon. No power or running water, generators help. Constant sound of helicopters and stories of horror. NC and SC in this area live together. We were just at Lake Lure last weekend. So sad. Yesterday we tried to take snacks to some of our students. Trees and lines still down and roads cut off. No achool this week. Some of the schools have damage. Thank you for always mentioning those in need. This is beyond explanation.

[@samuelbrewster97]

I live in Florida and my city thankfully was spared. We had gusty winds but nothing too serious. Though there still is leftover debris but it’s not much.

[@kernelxsanders]

Same here, it was supposed to be a direct hit in my city as it made landfall, but drifted NE just before. About half the city lost power for about a day.

[@jillgifford4999]

Thank you Stephen. I am from Asheville and Western NC and we are desparete need of help. We have no power, water, food, gas or even internet connection. No medications since pharmacies are closed. Our hospital is trying to function on generators and no water. People are stranded and missing in the mountain communities. Flood waters have destroyed much of the city's businesses and structures. Please help if you can.

[@victoriaguerin2851]

How do you vote? How do your friends and neighbors vote? Do you "believe in" climate change?

[@space.tel-e-grams]

@@victoriaguerin2851 it doesn't fucking matter how they vote, everyone deserves to be helped. and FYI Asheville is extremely blue. Get your head out of your ass

[@akinpaws]

​@@victoriaguerin2851 You're not helping.

[@mhmartin86]

Thank you so much for talking about this! It's been rough here, and it feels like no one is talking about it except to condemn us for not being prepared enough. As if anyone could've prepared accurately for the devastation that has happened. It's heartbreaking.

[@sandrajohnson2489]

I live north of Columbia, SC in a small rural town. My neighborhood lost power from Friday morning until Sunday afternoon. Many people still don't have power and I feel for them. It's muggy and trying to sleep is near impossible. After our last power outage (who knows why), I bought some emergency items. I have a small Jackery battery bank that will charge a couple of cell phones, can run a small lamp, will run a small fan too. For some reason however, it won't run my small coffee maker. I also have a one-burner stove that uses butane and some other items. We lost power a couple of years ago in winter and it was freezing cold. I used my emergency propane heater called, 'Mr. Heater'. That thing puts out the heat like crazy and can use two bottles of propane; the small green ones. I only used one. These things are great to have when the power goes out and can be used for camping too. We got a lot of rain of course and thankfully the back of my house is on a slight slope. No standing water. My next door neighbor however had the equivalent of a small pond in their yard. I'm from Florida and moved to S.C. to get away from hurricanes but this one took an odd turn. Oh and we also get earthquakes which is something I have never experienced before. Yay.

[@xavierlozinguez]

Stay safe!

[@MrNukedawhales]

you have a heater called mr. heater? hmmm... let me guess the name of your dog ;)

[@seacrow53]

I bought one of those Jackery's, one of the large ones, almost two years ago and am happy I haven't had to use it yet. (am in Canada)

[@user-qs4uc2no3g]

Commendable to report this. This is a tragic event. Unimaginable that supplies are being delivered by donkey .

[@walsterdoomit]

People aren't mentioning it much but this storm ripped up southern WV too. So it went farther than what you're saying.

[@cassieo]

Yes. Damascus, VA was flooded out. That’s the hub for the top half of the Virginia Creeper bike trail, if folks don’t know. Their big tourist season starts right now. Their economy depends on it. There are Christmas Tree farms on the hills going up to the top of the Creeper trail. It’s possible their harvest will be affected, as well. They supply trees for many each holiday season.

[@AZsunflower]

People can only mention what the news reports. Information is sketchy. This is a devastating situation for millions of people. 😢

[@shaywhite5064]

Thank you for talking about this Stephen. My 84 yr old mother is still stuck on Beech Mountain with no electricity or water. We are hoping that she can get out today or tomorrow.

[@batticusmanacleas510]

I live less than an hour from Asheville. WNC needs all the help they can get. I lived in southern Louisiana and on the Atlantic coast for years. And this storm, in the mountains where I was born, dwarfs any hurricane I ever lived through. I've never seen such destruction.

[@roypiltdown5083]

seven years ago, Convicted Felon Donald Trump threw paper-towel rolls at people in Puerto Rico - now he's touring Georgia & saying that the govt isnt doing enough to help - it's almost like the people in the southeast are more important to him than the people in Puerto Rico - anyone know why? thank you, Stephen, for your help in this difficult time.

[@chezmoi42]

Yeah, in the US he throws packets of chicken tenders.

[@reginaayat5390]

I'm disappointed that Trump didn't talk about the hurricane and bring out his sharpie to prove how badly Minnesota got hit by the hurricane and how Tim Walz isn't doing anything about it 😸

[@appiewhite9045]

I just got power back yesterday after three days. Lots of trees down, stoplights not working. Ga power is getting things back online but, much more damage than expected. Savannah GA

[@andybroer651]

I donate to World Central Kitchen, they do amazing work

[@Quanswiese]

Now imagine experiencing climate change in a poor country. And people often have contributed so little to making this planet less human-friendly.

[@everentropy]

I mean, many of these areas that were hard hit WERE in poor areas. We probably don't even know the full extent of the damage because no one has been able to get to them yet.

[@berniv7375]

Imagine how lucky you are not to be living in Palestine.🗽

[@lillyr9295]

A lot of these mountain communities are not in any way, shape, or form wealthy. And getting through the mountains and floods to find them has not been easy

[@piccalillipit9211]

74% of the excess CO2 in the atmosphere right now is a result of Am3ric4n activity over the last 100 years. You know all that pollution China makes - yeah you off shored that, thats Am3ric4n pollution its you thats buying all the plastic trash. We Europeans have been driving 1L 3cylinder cars and getting the bus for 30 years whilst you lot live in 3,000 sq feet houses in the desert with the AC running 24/7 In the 19th century and the first half of the 20th YES it was Europe polluting but for 50 years we have been doing what we can

[@piccalillipit9211]

@@everentropy They still all drive V8 trucks and vote Trump

[@LMM7880]

I am sure Donald and JD and Elon Musk will donate lots of $$ to the hurricane states. Actually, I am not sure at all.

[@Robin-no8cu]

Thanks Stephen. I don’t think people know how bad it was in western South Carolina. Aiken is devastated.

[@AZsunflower]

This is the first I have seen Aiken mentioned. Dear friends live in that lovely town. My son has Aiken on his short list of places to move to.

[@jackv2244]

Thank you Stephen for addressing this situation, my thoughts and prayers for these people 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@darkwinter8]

"When tragedy strikes, Americans pull together like no other people on Earth." This is true, except when Trump was president. Instead of uniting Americans, Trump divided the country when the COVID-19 pandemic struck the United States.

[@Snakeskii]

He also denied funding to areas in California, Washington, and Oregon when whole towns were being destroyed by wildfires because those states didn't vote for him.

[@nathanc6204]

Thank you! I live less than 10 miles from the Nolichucky River which flooded the southern part of Washington County TN where I live. Roads, bridges, homes, & businesses are gone. My family was blessed to have only lost power for a day, but so many in this region have been affected, it's heartbreaking.

[@kateblood5372]

Thank you for doing this.

[@KittyKeypurr]

Stephen. Please do a segment on what federal programs specifically will be helping to rebuild and provide food/clothing/housing etc. I think it's important folks understand, especially now, where help comes from in these terrible events.

[@mv80401]

True. One of the comments on a weather news segment said the opposite, that FEMA and EPA were useless (but it could have been a bot).

[@karenwaddell9396]

Sounds like a topic for John Oliver. His depth of analysis on a topic like yours would be great.

[@vladtepes97]

they will forget who helps them through this crisis, and then vote for inmate 11780. help all anyway, as God calls us to.

[@benetton6617]

I'm so glad we have a president who sends help without asking who they voted for first.

[@medusagorgo5146]

My community just got power and water back. There are still some who don’t have either yet. I am west of Savannah in a rural area where only half of us have power back on. Our utility workers are busting their asses to restore the power, if you see one, thank them!

[@carissahowell]

I have a friend who lives in N Georgia near the SC border and he lives inland. He and his son went to the beach for the weekend to get out the aftermath of the storm. He can’t get over the irony of going to the coast to escape a hurricane.

[@theChickenstones]

Respect and much care from Australia.

[@kateuhler7803]

Ashville!!😢. It was so beautiful!! This is so sad. 😭Prayers to everyone affected🙏💞💞💞

[@3DogMama]

Thank you, Stephen, for creating a way to help and raising awareness among your audience. I’m in Western NC (Boone) and am heartbroken about and for our beloved, beautiful mountain towns. 💔

[@Rockingruvin]

Major interstates are also partially washed away. I-40 (Asheville to the East and West) and I-26 (which connects Asheville to Colbert's home of Charleston).

[@marysheehy4733]

Thank you for bringing awareness to the SE especially Western NC. Linemen from all around the country are helping. In SC there 1.4 million without power but less now. People are helping each other

[@greenjackle]

How many more disasters do we need to get people to finally take global warming seriously. I feel bad for these people. But this is normal now. Get us to it. As it is going to get worse. Unless we do things like nuclear power and get rid of coal and oil for public power. We have one planet and no reset button. I hope those who are affected will get the help they need. But seriously move away from the coast. It will be getting so much worse.

[@marieroberts5664]

There's no moving away from a hurricane. Ashville NC is three hundred miles from the coast. Most of these folks have never seen weather like this before, and unless we make changes and stick with them, it will get even worse and even more unpredictable. We need the climate change deniers out of office now. Vote Blue

[@AZsunflower]

Moving away from the coast is not a solution. Much of the devastation from Helene is inland and there was flooding in the mountains. Tornado Alley gets longer and wider. Here in the West, we have record-breaking heat and fires. Climate change is a global issue and getting worse every day.

[@TheAureliac]

Asheville is almost 300 miles from the coast. And it's a walkable, bike friendly small city that is liberal enough to understand that climate change is real and votes its liberal values in one of the most gerrymandered (by its Republican legislature) states in the country. Those folks are doing the right thing but caught up in an unforeseeable set of circumstances. Most of the rest of the affected areas in all these southern states vote red, ignoring the long-term effects of their actions in order to own the libs.

[@murraymitchell22]

When will we see the donations to the relief efforts from Exxon, BP, Shell, etc.?

[@chezmoi42]

That would be admitting guilt...

[@NewMessage]

It's ok, Donnie has pledged to deport the climate on day 1.

[@TheRealEtaoinShrdlu]

Are you sure that weather chart is correct? I don't see any Sharpie marks on it.

[@everentropy]

I am so glad that as far as I can tell none of my friends or family were in areas that were hard hit. I have a lot of family in Florida on the west coast, and I have a friend who used to live in Asheville. I'm very grateful he no longer lives there. What a tragedy.

[@sorchaOtwo]

I have friends who moved out of Florida because the insurance company still hasn't paid for damage on their home in FLA. They bought a place in Georgia, and the hurricane brought down a tree on their house.

[@mv80401]

My friend Micah became a climate refugee from Katrina in 2005 and moved to Boulder, CO - where in 2013 Boulder county was hit with 3 days of constant rain. Two people drowned in their neighborhood and they had to evacuate as tiny creeks turned into raging rivers.

[@monkfishmondfinsternis3162]

Will Exxon, Shell, BP also pay their share on these climate related catastrophes?

[@AZsunflower]

No.

[@monkfishmondfinsternis3162]

@@AZsunflower They should. They know about the effects of their busines since the 1970s. Look up "Exxon climate study"

[@mariedowney1676]

please don't abandon us

[@tinkerstrade3553]

We are Americans, we don't abandon those in need. Red and Blue are both on the same flag, because we're all the same people. We won't let the politics have a part in the matter.

[@pennymitchell8523]

MAGAs.....send your money to these charities.....at least it will be out to good use

[@tonyegg4592]

Stay strong friends! Love from Australia ❤

[@fama5736]

I hope your area and home were spared Stephen and hope, pray for the areas affected, please donate if you can regardless of political affiliation, a disaster is a unique situation where you’re relying on community and others for help, maybe Jose Andres World Central Kitchen can setup in the south also Stephen I have just read that World Central Kitchen has setup already so so some donations to them,maybe could do a week of the show from your home city Stephen going to the worst affected areas for everyday of the week there, also you could publish where to send clothes and everyday items for those hardest hit, hoping to see you again Hope for a swift recovery Fabrizio

[@igorschmidlapp6987]

Is DJT "Sharpie Ready" to lie about where he's "helped"?

[@janetstonerook4552]

Chicken Mcnuggets for everyone ... At his dinky little PR visit! Whatta guy!

[@d.b.1176]

We’re all American after a natural disaster, except for Melania.

[@johnsmith-ee6tr]

Yup no little water no power little food, burning gas to charge phone and power bank. Cell service is eh..I used 48oz of water to bathe not fun

[@hauntedshadowslegacy2826]

Stay safe, yo. I know it may suck, but it's possible to use baking soda as a dry shampoo in a pinch- might save you some water. Also, when you have the battery for it, look up some low-tech water filtration/purification methods. Might not be palatable, but it should help you get water for non-drinking/non-cooking purposes so you can save the bottled stuff for drinking and cooking.

[@marceloildahernandez1296]

Trump already lying about Bidens visit and false accusations, when trump wishing he was there to throw paper towels or chicken nuggets like he usually does when the country is in a crisis and people have lost loved ones😢

[@kimh5566]

Yes, indeed he is. For the record, B. approved Federal supports across five states before Helene made landfall.

[@0066keith]

The community of Busik received over 30" of rain. The town of Chimney Rock is now floating in Lake Lure.

[@deborahreeder7374]

Thanks for providing links for donations!

[@kelleywimberley]

I’m from NC too - my niece lives near Asheville- it’s bad

[@oclery]

Thank at The Stephen Colbert Show for addressing this topic! Stephen is not only a fantastic comedian, but also a wonderful person and philanthropist. ❤❤❤

[@troberts7458]

Thank you! NC is devastated! Towns are leveled.

[@bejaromero2523]

Thank you for speaking out about this! My freind is a paramedic working in the region, and they say that the conditions there are unimaginable.

[@IronyMetalworks]

Donated just now.. 5.33am

[@tigeraterra69]

They blamed katrina on gay pride ... i blame trump voters for Gods wrath here.... sorry, too soon? Thats how i felt then. Ignorance hurts huh? We should think b4 we blame, huh?

[@IsuiGtz]

Pretty acid comment, completely feel it and understand it nonetheless. Colbert here is very specifically apolitical but we remember how, so many times, in very serious situations... the crazy, very political people, are the most insensitive pieces of b you can imagine. Not to mention the hypocrisy of being pro life unless you happen to be lgbt and doing nothing about guns at the face of tragedy because they put their politics first. Some people just really want to watch the world burn in the name of their religion (aka their "conservative values) and/or their red uniform.

[@lianefehrle9921]

I have a cousin that lives near Asheville and have not heard from her.

[@DuelScreen]

Thank you so much Stephen and Late Show family. I live in Western NC just east of Asheville. We got power back yesterday. We lost our cold and frozen foods but others have lost SO MUCH more. I-40 is impassible west of Old Fort. We heard the rain washed away 2 of the eastbound lanes of traffic so getting into the mountains is difficult. There are helicopters and planes constantly flying over our home to air drop supplies into Swananoa which was hit particularly hard. Whole roads that followed rivers throughout Western NC are just gone. Just gone. Bridges have washed away. People are stranded without food, power, and a way of escape. Please continue to post, pray, donate, and volunteer because it is not over and won't be for a while. Rebuilding and recovery will take months to years. Right now there are still rescues being done days after the hurricane. We are so grateful you are thinking of us. This disaster has been compared to the blizzard of 1993 but this is worse. I saw a resident of Asheville who went through Hurricane Andrew in Florida on the news say this damage was the worst he's ever seen. It is surreal to see this much damage--from a hurricane!--this far inland. Thank you.

[@space.tel-e-grams]

My mom lives in Spruce Pine and the damage is absolutely apocalyptic up there. Every road is heavily damaged, some are completely gone. What bridges remain are thought to have been severely compromised structurally. We can't get in to help and they can't get out. The situation is dire in the north half of the county where it's all hollars. We flooded before in 1998 and 2004, but this is an entirely different level of destruction. We're talking orders of magnitude. I live between Asheville and Charlotte, We have ongoing power outages here but that's about it. I was extremely lucky in that mine has by some miracle stayed on the whole time but many of my neighbors have been without power and water for days. People are acting like animals down here but up in the mountains it's all neighbors helping neighbors. I don't agree with their politics most of the time but mountain people will literally give you the shirt off their back in a crisis regardless of how you vote. I love my people and proud to be from the mountains of WNC. 💔

[@kimh5566]

Thank you for your grateful spirit and clear-eyed report. The Federal, state and local authorities understand the scope of the situation. Yes, it will take time and continuing resources to surmount this catastrophic destruction. Stay brave and know that many people are sending help the best they can. 🙏

[@marianuz8576]

Thank you for covering. Nc is reeling

[@d.t.8465]

Colbert is an American treasure. The GOAT! 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲

[@Legit-beardED]

Thank you Late Show team - love from NC

[@quickmcglick]

Lettuce funk in the building! Zoids and Benny and Nigel representing!! 🔥🥬🔥🥬🔥🥬

[@patrickbureau1402]

Hay COUZINZ - WE so sorry aboot youz 'Inconvenient Truth' - be safe 🍀🇨🇦⚜️

[@piccalillipit9211]

*HERES HOW YOU CAN HELP* STOP driving V8 pickup trucks and hyper-consumerism...!!! Make gas $15 a gallon like it is in he EU The UK shuts its LAST coal fired power station on Thursday after 140 YEARS of coal-powered electricity

[@TelephoneToughGuy]

You're exaggerating about the $15/gallon, right? If not, where is it that expensive? I'm in Finland (gasoline costs more here than most other places in EU), it's less than 2€/liter, which is about $8/gallon.

[@piccalillipit9211]

@@TelephoneToughGuy Actually its a typo. But... According to the internet is £2.40 in London = $3.20/L = 3.2x3.8 = $12.16 which is the most expensive in Europe - apparently.

[@TelephoneToughGuy]

​@@piccalillipit9211Fair enough, although I thought we were talking about EU (which UK is not a part of).

[@TelephoneToughGuy]

​​@@piccalillipit9211"Gasoline Prices in the United Kingdom decreased to 1.81 USD/Liter in September from 1.87 USD/Liter in August of 2024." Apparently you can also find £1.3/liter in London right now. That's a bit cheaper than you mentioned. What's your source?

[@piccalillipit9211]

@@TelephoneToughGuy Entirely fair point

[@Echo81Rumple83]

Rhank you, Stephen. You're doing a lot more to help the victims of climate change than TFG's pathological lying.

[@charleskramer7062]

Used to live in Western NC. Praying and donating.

[@napalmholocaust9093]

Was surprised so many people lived that far down in the narrow valleys.

[@unvergebeneid]

Aspirational message but if you think such a disaster right before an election won't be used to score political points, you haven't been paying attention.

[@AZsunflower]

As in T being in GA taking time and resources away from those who need help and telling lies about Biden.

[@bmhd6598]

Yes I want to help these people. I will do what I can (unfortuantely it will be very little). However, this storm was more far reaching than that. We lost power, and had massive trees come down. I am in Indianapolis IN. We easily recovered, of course, but it is clear that Helene didn't want to quit

[@vron5000]

I came here to shout out to my Lettuce funk boys joining the band. I'm so proud of them! So much love to those in the south east needing help from this tragic storm.

[@horse4you]

I live in North/Eastside Greenville SC and we sustained a ton of damage just catching the tail end of the swirls. Several microbursts, one in my backyard for the 2nd time in 2 years. Tornadoes in 2022, nearly unheard of. Hate to say it. I believe it's the subdivision ppl wiping out our natural defenses AKA deep rooted trees and scarring the land.

[@karenwaddell9396]

Combined with climate change.

[@space.tel-e-grams]

My mom is one of those people in a cut off area, our hometown and the surrounding counties (Mitchell, Avery, Yancey) are some of the hardest hit. Spruce Pine got 24 inches of rain. The downtown area has been decimated. The entire north end of the county is full of hollars with only 1 dead-end road leading in and the bridges to almost all of those have been washed away. The 2 main roads down the mountain to the south have been washed out into the gorge below. Entire mountainsides have fallen down onto roads and homes. Thousands are stranded and hundreds unaccounted for in Mitchell alone. Asheville and Boone are receiving most of the media attention and help right now, but these border counties in between are not because they are virtually unreachable except by four wheel drive in most places. People are even being stopped and turned away from bringing in supplies by authorities. The road from Elk Park over to Elizabethton was blocked by steel barricades at the border and they are not letting people evacuate over that road even though it's been cleared. National Guard just started rolling in yesterday and there are no power trucks in sight. It's all been neighbors helping neighbors so far. All communications are down, including the 911 service. They are able to get very spotty cell service at one small spot near the Blue Ridge Parkway, so information and pictures are trickling out, but the hospital is running out of medicine, oxygen and fuel for the generators. Mitchell County is where much of the quartz used in microchips comes from, and the railroad tracks that keep it moving out of the county are mostly gone. There will be global implications from the paralysis of this tiny area alone. The government has really dropped the ball here on every level.

[@mv80401]

Thanks for the details but I don't understand your last sentence. The scale and difficulty of this disaster is massive so blaming the government for not having magical powers doesn't make sense to me.

[@kimh5566]

Thank you for painting a clear picture. I am sorry you and others are suffering. Biden approved Federal support before Helene made landfall. State and local officials and volunteer orgs are working furiously to help too. There is not going to be a quick fix due to the widespread destruction of roadways and bridges, including on the Interstates. Stay in touch w your nearest reachable local authorities. 🙏

[@TheAureliac]

When the entire court or field, depending on what sort of ball you're talking about, is under ten feet of water, picking up the ball is meaningless. If you want to lay blame, talk about those who have spent decades denying climate change, those who underfunded emergency agencies, those who voted for the politicians who did so and the presidential candidate who is lying about those who are attempting to help in order to sow distrust rather than doing anything productive himself.

[@Hklbrries]

Love you, love your heart, Stephen Colbert. Will donate when my Social Security check arrives. Also: VOTE BLUE!

[@VV-bk1wv]

Really, what is the white house doing?

[@crabbit00]

....🔵 Vote Harris/Walz.

[@orlandopockets6372]

the part of the country with the most climate change deniers is getting hurt by the climate. coincidence?

[@jasonezzell6901]

You can still delete this gross comment

[@drfranks1158]

@@jasonezzell6901 only thing gross is how true it is. And YES, it is a coincidence... as we're all on the same planet. We're all getting hit, but only the morons deny it.

[@binaryfairy4197]

Ah yes, the irony that the states hit the hardest are all red states! And Trump has been MIA there. I hope that the voters there may FINALLY get it & vote for ppl who ACTUALLY care about them! 💙

[@binaryfairy4197]

@@jasonezzell6901 It's not gross, it's a ironic FACT!

[@kelsonl6084]

It’s affecting the whole country not just one region. In the south it’s storms, in the west we are having the worst fires ever. No species has fucked around with nature and survived, that’s see if humans can figure that out in time

[@lashendawest7509]

We love your show stephen colbert

[@COMPFUNK2]

Prayers to all those impacted by Hurricane Helene. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@adey126]

Reminder Project 2025 Trump agenda wants to get rid of NOAA. Vote 💙

[@chriskriskovic5914]

@Sparty you’re in Tennessee right? Did the hurricane affect your area?

[@gretchenduran2236]

Sending love from Puerto Rico. 💙We know all too well what damage a hurricane can do.

[@andrewfrazer8874]

WOW don't mess with mother nature 🤔

[@mlowe7245]

Yes Stephen, we all pull together to help. Because we know that's what Americans do!!

[@III-cs1rv]

I swear I remember this exact message from last year. Seems like we get hurricanes every year, but we don't learn anything from it.

[@AudriaOdom-fr2zs]

😢 "Americans go together like no other people on earth"... Amen to that Steven

[@connybartels2207]

Florida hit by the hurricane Helene? Perhaps hit hard by denying climate change?? Only asking. Of course I feel for all the people who lost a lot!

[@XSpImmaLion]

Kind of a mirror image of what happens in the "global South"... Of course, international press barely noticed this, but Brazil had an entire state go underwater earlier this year. There isn't much of a recovery, survivors mostly had to move and start from scratch. Fortunately, we don't have major hurricanes... unimaginable how devastating those are. But what is happening with Climate Change is that areas that rarely ever experienced major natural disasters now have these extreme rain events that are like a river got dropped on top of large areas all at once. We had this happening in a few locations before, but nothing on this scale. 400 cities got portions or their areas entirety underwater. Almost 150 people lost their lives. Small towns got erased from the map. Hundreds of thousands of people got displaced, a huge portion who will never get to return to their homes. In some cities it rained, double to triple or more predicted for a month, in just 10 days continuously. Unprecedented numbers. Several dams broke, containment systems failed, everything went underwater. And of course far right politicians only made things worse by taking money away from prevention programs, weakening protections and programs regarding natural disasters over the years, as well as underestimating the repeated warnings of regulatory agencies. Meanwhile, the central portion of the country burns almost all year round with fires because of the increasingly dry heat that turns portions of the country to a desert-like climate. Major difference for us is that we didn't use to have these types of phenomenas and climates a few decades ago. Not at this scale, I mean. The infrastructure isn't build for that, homes aren't built for that, people don't have training for that, emergency response isn't prepared to handle it, there's no permanent funding to handle it neither on state or federal level. I hope people affected by Hurricane Helene recovers somehow, and are able to get the emergency help they need. But the real dire thing about Climate Change is that if you think things are bad in your neck of the woods, it's probably the pits in other nations. I know the case in Brazil isn't by far the worst regarding Climate Change. There are entire island nations already going underwater, and regions of the planet already becoming uninhabitable. It's, you know, one of the things fueling the migrant crisis, in case some people still haven't realized this. It all starts like that. And it'll get worse over the next years and decades.

[@margo3367]

My heart goes out to all those people who are affected by the storm. My problems seem minor by comparison. ❤