Governor Josh Stein has declared Tropical Storm Chantal a Type I State Disaster, enabling North Carolina to provide state-funded individual assistance grants to residents affected by the storm. The declaration applies to Orange, Durham, Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Granville, Person, and Wake counties.
In his statement, Governor Stein said, “This disaster declaration unlocks access for people to apply for state-funded individual assistance as they continue to rebuild, and I encourage folks to see if the resources available are a good fit for them. Chantal was devastating for central North Carolina, and initial damage assessments have made clear that a Federal Major Disaster Declaration is needed to help expedite federal aid for repairing roads and rebuilding critical infrastructure.”
The governor also called on President Trump and Acting FEMA Regional Administrator Robert Ashe to issue a Federal Major Disaster Declaration. This would allow impacted local governments to receive federal public assistance funding for rebuilding damaged roads, utilities, and debris removal. Preliminary assessments estimate over $42 million in public assistance damages from the storm—more than double the minimum required by FEMA guidelines for such a federal declaration.
Residents seeking state individual assistance must visit one of several disaster recovery centers established in the affected counties. Assistance may cover temporary housing or rental needs, replacement of personal property, medical or dental expenses, or funeral costs related to the emergency.
Tropical Storm Chantal struck central North Carolina on July 6 with rainfall totals between 9 and 12 inches in some areas. Rivers such as the Haw River and Eno River reached record or near-record levels. The storm caused significant damage in Durham and Orange counties and resulted in six confirmed deaths. Local states of emergency were declared during the event; first responders carried out water rescues while emergency shelters provided refuge for displaced residents. By mid-July all shelters had closed as recovery efforts transitioned from immediate response to longer-term support.
For information about individual assistance programs or recovery center locations, survivors can call the North Carolina Emergency Management hotline at 919-825-2378.
