The unequal empathy for disaster victims in Appalachia

Lately, I've been struck by how much coverage the floods in Spain are getting in the news, and I can't help but ask: where was this level of empathy and attention when 230+ people lost their lives in the Helene floods here in Appalachia? Where was the government support, the international news coverage?

I talked to my British friend shortly after the floodwaters receded. By then, hundreds had already died, and thousands more were left homeless. When I asked her thoughts on the floods, she didn’t even know they’d happened. In fact, none of my friends from abroad had heard about it.

Weird right!

But now, a similar flood hits Spain, and suddenly it’s a worldwide story? It’s incredibly frustrating, especially since there are still people here struggling to find food, hospitals are overflowing, and towns lie in ruins. The situation is worsened by the deep poverty in the area, which makes basic healthcare hard to access. Just today, I saw a Blackhawk helicopter heading to North Carolina while I was out getting the mail—this crisis isn’t over, and they’re still discovering bodies buried under the mud.

Let’s not forget that FEMA resources, which could have supported the affected areas, were completely exhausted after the U.S. was struck by two additional hurricanes. There is absolutely no government funding reaching those in need, leaving independent contractors and charities to step in and fill the gap. In some areas, it resembles a warzone, yet it feels like no one is paying attention!

Every time disaster strikes in Appalachia, it’s ignored by the rest of the country, let alone the world. And don’t even get me started on how the U.S. rarely, if ever, receives aid from other countries in these situations, while the moment a similar tragedy occurs elsewhere, the response is immediate: billions of dollars sent in relief.

I’m not trying to compare tragedies here—what’s happening in Spain is devastating, and I’ve seen the footage of cars and debris filling the streets. But we can’t keep ignoring the clear lack of empathy shown toward Appalachia and other regions in the U.S. when they face similar disasters. This disparity on the world stage is something that needs to be addressed.