North Carolina lawmakers approve $500 million Hurricane Helene relief package

The most destructive storm in state history, Helene killed more than 100 North Carolinians and did an estimated $60 billion in damage to the western part of the state last fall — including tens of thousands of homes and businesses damaged or entirely destroyed in the landslides the storm brought.

Lawmakers approved roughly $1 billion in state aid last year, to supplement the billions expected from the federal government. But some federal funding — including any money to start rebuilding homes — is still at least several months away from reaching North Carolina.