As Hurricane Helene leaves North Carolina in ruins, survivors like Francesco Garripoli are raising alarming questions about the timing of the disaster.
With the state sitting on one of the richest lithium veins in the United States – and a major mining permit issued just months ago – Garripoli suggested the storm may have been a convenient way to displace communities and clear the way for corporate exploitation.
The lithium mining process, which requires vast amounts of water and releases toxic arsenic, could further devastate the region. Is this disaster a tragic coincidence or a calculated move for resource extraction?
Garripoli, a survivor of Hurricane Helene and founder of the nonprofit Community Awake, reported from his Wuji Mountain retreat in Asheville, North Carolina during a "Health Ranger Report" interview with Mike Adams.
The devastation, he said, is unlike anything he's ever witnessed – even compared to hurricanes he's endured in Florida, Hawaii and Hong Kong. Roads that have stood for over a century are gone. Bridges designed to withstand historic floods have been obliterated. Entire towns like Marshall have been washed away.
North Carolina is home to one of the richest lithium deposits in America, a resource critical for the production of lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. In April 2024, an Australian mining company and key supplier for Tesla was granted a permit to begin lithium extraction in the state. The timing of this permit, just months before Hurricane Helene, has raised eyebrows. (Related: Western North Carolina has world's richest lithium, purest quartz deposits: Is Hurricane Helene a land grab by DOD to steal these valuable resources?)
Lithium mining is a water-intensive process that releases toxic arsenic into the environment. The extraction requires vast amounts of land, often displacing communities and devastating ecosystems. Garripoli warned that the storm may have been a catalyst for corporate land grabs.
The author and lecturer added they have been trying to get the land since 2018 in order to mine lithium.
The storm's aftermath has left more than just physical destruction. The French Broad River, one of the oldest rivers in the world, is now contaminated with toxic waste from a nearby PVC pipe manufacturing plant. Volunteers helping with cleanup efforts are wading through hazardous sludge, unaware of the dangers.
"The water is absolutely toxic," Garripoli warned while adding that people need to be cautious in going through this kind of situation.
The power grid in North Carolina has been decimated. Duke Energy reported 370 substations offline, some completely submerged. Restoring power could take months, leaving residents vulnerable as winter approaches.
Garripoli pointed to a troubling lack of preparedness at the federal level. He stated the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can't even respond to roadside emergencies. Worse, the administration of outgoing President Joe Biden has sent thousands of transformers to Ukraine instead of stockpiling them in the country.
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