Aid provided to those affected by the hurricane Helen Service provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the US state of North Carolina was temporarily halted on Saturday, after threats were made against its responders.
FEMA workers were forced to stop their work in Rutherford County, North Carolina, after National Guard soldiers saw “armed militia” threatening them, according to The Washington Post.
In fact, some FEMA teams are working in disaster recovery centers in North Carolina counties where federal workers have reportedly been receiving threats, a FEMA spokesperson confirmed to CNN.
“For the safety of our dedicated staff and the disaster survivors we support, FEMA has made some operational adjustments,” he said.
However, it states that disaster relief centers “remain open as scheduled, survivors will continue to sign up for assistance, and will continue to help North Carolinians recover.”
Other FEMA operations were suspended Sunday in Ashe County as a precaution due to “threats occurring in some counties,” Sheriff P. Phil Howell posted on Facebook.
These centers also reopened on Monday, according to CNN.
Rutherford County, located southeast of Asheville, was hit hard by the tornado Helen That swept through Florida last month, killing more than 100 people in North Carolina.
This area has also suffered major floods and deadly landslides.
