As roads in North Carolina remain impassable after Hurricane Helene ravaged the region, rescue groups are using mules to help deliver aid to residents stranded in hard-to-reach areas.
The storm, which hit Florida as a Category 4 hurricane last week, caused widespread devastation across five southeastern states, killing at least 130 people, and authorities expect that number to rise.
The North Carolina Emergency Management Agency has advised that roads in mountainous western North Carolina remain closed to non-emergency travel. To help reach isolated communities, Mountain Mule Packers, a local organization, has stepped in with their team of mules to deliver essential supplies. The mules can navigate difficult terrain that vehicles can't access.
On Monday, the organization delivered food, water and diapers to the western part of the state, using two trucks, several trailers, and their teams of pack mules. Each mule can carry up to 200 pounds of supplies, according to trainer Mike Toberer.
"They call them beasts of burden, we call them our beloved mules. They are capable and willing to work in many conditions most won't," Mountain Mule Packer Ranch wrote in a Facebook post. "From hauling camping gear and fresh hunt, pulling wagons and farm equipment; to serving in training the best of the very best of our military special forces, carrying weapons, medical supplies, and even wounded soldiers.
"This week, they are ready to work with us to HELP many in need after the devastation of Hurricane Helene."
Mountain Mule Packers specializes in using pack animals to transport goods across extreme terrain, making them crucial in disaster relief efforts for hard-to-reach areas.
Kate McManus ✉
Kate McManus is a New Jersey-based Newsmax writer who's spent more than two decades as a journalist.
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