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North Carolina has officially received a Major Disaster Declaration after the remnants of Hurricane Helene dumped more than a foot of rain over western portions of the state.

The declaration allows residents in Buncombe, Clay, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania and Yancey Counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians eligible for Individual Assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Individual Assistance provides financial aid and services to eligible residents and households that have been affected by a disaster to assist with the recovery process.

People can begin applying for Individual Assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by calling the application phone number at 1-800-621-3362 (TTY: 800-462-7585) between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. EST.