LUMBERTON, NC (WBTW) – North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper paid a visit to Lumberton on Thursday in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Florence.
Governor Cooper stopped by the Robeson County Emergency Operation Center to thank first responders for their preparation before the storm and their response during and afterward. He sent his condolences to the families of victims killed and said he is mourning the loss of their lives. He also talked about plans for an affordable housing deal and securing funds from the federal government. Governor Cooper said he has spoken with FEMA and President Donald Trump. According to Governor Cooper, President Trump said he is behind the recovery efforts “100 percent” and will offer his support “for the long run.”
“I’m going to take him at his word and hold the federal government to that,” said Governor Cooper. “We know that we’re going to need significant help. This is going to be a multi-billion dollar effort. We have roads and bridges to repair. We have a situation in Lumberton here where we need to make sure that, at the CSX line, we’ve got protection from the river under the bridge. There’s a lot we need to do.”
News13 caught up with the governor and asked him about the current delay in Hurricane Matthew funds and what the state is doing to get that money to victims.
“We put over $740,000,000 out in North Carolina to help recover from Hurricane Matthew. We know some people still have not received recovery. That process is going to speed along,” he said. “Of course, we have a lot of people who were hurt twice and we’ve asked the federal government for flexibility in our efforts to make sure everybody is covered.”
Later in the day, Governor Cooper went to Hyde Park Baptist Church to thank volunteers at a men’s feeding site.
