Days have passed since Hurricane Florence swept through the Carolinas. However, the effects of the violent storm are still wreaking havoc on East Coast communities.

Prior to hitting land, the hurricane was ranked as a Category four storm, and dropped to a Category one when it finally made contact with the shore. Yet, this did not dampen the storms catastrophic effects on residents in the southeast. Though Florence may have been downgraded to a tropical depression, flood levels have continued to rise and are believed to have reached their peak on Thursday.  On top of that, the water is not expected to be completely drained from the Carolinas for a matter of weeks. On Monday, the people of Richmond, VA were hit by a series of tornadoes as a result of Florence’s shift northwards.

Homes and businesses have been destroyed, if not by the initial blow of the storm, then by fallen trees, power lines and extreme water damage. Death tolls continue to  rise with the water. Up to 37 people have died between the states of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia as of Wednesday afternoon, the number of those injured far surpassing that. The National Guard and other emergency responders continue to carry out rescue missions to aid those still caught in the floods.

One group of volunteers, The Cajun Navy, saved nearly 160 people in North Carolina this past Friday. The organization formed after Hurricane Katrina struck the south in 2005, and with 310 members, they have collectively supplied first responders with the means to rescue those stranded by the recent disaster. When boats were not readily available, the group turned to the use of air mattresses and other floating devices to reach people stuck on roofs or cars. “The winds were so high, we couldn’t get [the boats] in there because the winds were toppling them and it was making it unsafe for us, so we had to use a couple of air mattresses and float people out,” stated the organization founder, Todd Terrell.

One 51-year-old truck driver, Tony Alsup, had his own mission in the works, as he saved 64 lives with a school bus prior to the storm’s landing in South Carolina. The man drove through four towns along the northern border of the state, picking up stray cats and dogs. By the end of the mission, he had rescued 53 dogs and 11 cats from the oncoming storm, and had transported them to a shelter in southern Alabama. The animals have been sent out to shelters across states unaffected by the storm, and will be set up for adoption post-haste.

Despite all of the efforts being made to help those affected by Hurricane Florence, there is still more that can be done. Making donations to organizations like The American Red Cross and Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina is one simple way to throw out a helping hand. Even the smallest of deeds can make a big difference.