Family of La Ronge man left homeless after Hurricane Florence
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Hurricane Florence struck close to home for one La Ronge resident whose parents lost their house from damaged caused by the powerful storm.
“A hurricane this strong is a once in a lifetime kind of deal,” Mancil Bell said. “When the hurricane made landfall, the sky changed from blue to orange to red within the hour or so. The wind gusts were ripping up trees in the backyard and tossing everything around.”
Having moved to La Ronge in 2016, Bell noted the family home he left behind in Hampstead, North Carolina, is a total loss. While his mother, siblings and other residents of the house fled further inland, he added his father, Stephen, stayed behind and witnessed the destruction. In the early morning hours of Sept. 15, Bell said his father was woken by the sound of the ceiling collapsing into the kitchen.
With power and water services not yet available in Hampstead, which is located right along the Atlantic Ocean, it’s been difficult for residents to clean up the mess left behind. Even with the assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other levels of government, Bell believes his family will likely be left homeless when the situation returns to normal.
