With many homes in tatters and rivers finally receding, members and others in North Carolina and Virginia are struggling to clean up and assess damage after Hurricane Fran's fury.

Possibly eight LDS families in the Wilmington North Carolina Stake were among thousands who lost their homes in areas stricken by 115-mph winds and blasting rains Sept. 5-7. According to the Associated Press, Hurricane Fran whipped the North Carolina coast before turning inland into Virginia, dumping up to 11 inches of rain in some areas and causing serious flooding. At least 30 people died, and hundreds more were seriously injured. No Church members are reported among the dead or seriously injured.In Church News telephone interviews, local Church leaders reported early damage estimates and relief efforts. Stricken areas include the Wilmington, Raleigh, Fayetteville and Kinston North Carolina stakes, and the Richmond Virginia Stake.

"We moved here about seven years ago, and people are saying this is the worst hurricane they've seen since 1954." Pres. Bradford L. Walker of the Wilmington stake related. He noted that several members of his stake had to evacuate their homes, including the eight who lost homes, and members here are among thousands in stricken areas without power.

Wards hit particularly hard, he added, were the Wilmington 1st, Wilmington 2nd, Jacksonville 3rd and Hampstead wards, and the Whiteville Branch. Pres. Walker emphasized that officials, as of Sept. 10, were only then letting residents check on beach-front properties, so he expected the number of lost homes in his stake to rise.

The only hurricane-related injury among members reported, he added, was a person who fell off a ladder and broke both wrists while helping extended family members.

In addition to damage to homes, Pres. Walker explained, members in rural areas had "significant damage" to turkey and hog houses. He said that Fran killed a total of about 10,000 turkeys in the area.

"In situations like this, you see the best in people," Pres. Walker said. "Those members who have electricity and water are opening their homes to others, including non-LDS, to come and shower, wash clothes, and so-forth.

"We've got priesthood work parties going around and helping where needed. That work will obviously go on. We're helping our neighbors and anyone who needs it. We've had 45 Red Cross workers staying in our stake center."

Pres. Walker added that full-time missionaries have been helping the Red Cross workers deliver food to victims.

In the Raleigh North Carolina Stake, the Wake Forest and Zebulon wards were the hardest hit. However, "all the units sustained pockets of destruction," said Alan Johnson, first counselor in the stake presidency.

"We've found that 80-90 percent of members in Wake Forest and Zebulon have been without power since Thursday (Sept. 5) night. A large part of the Zebulon ward is without water. The biggest needs that we have are ice (for freezers), water, batteries and bread. We have been able to get generators and chain saws. The bishops storehouse provided staples, and ice and water."

Continuing, Pres. Johnson explained that members are focusing on critical relief efforts, such as food and shelter for those evacuated, and placing tarps over holes in homes. However, he added, groups of individuals have been reaching out. He related that one group of Latter-day Saints helping a member was approached by non-LDS neighbors who offered to pay for their services.

Of course, he emphasized, the group offered help but would accept no remuneration.

In the Fayetteville North Carolina Stake, Pres. James C. Mooring reported that many stake members have been without water and electricity, and some homes had roofs blown off, but no homes of members were destroyed.

Concerning relief efforts, members have been reaching out to help victims, LDS and non-LDS, through individual efforts and through such civic organizations as the Red Cross.

Pres. Chris Lansing of the Richmond Virginia Stake lauded the welfare plan of the Church in not only helping victims of disaster, but also preparing members.

"It is really a marvelous and inspired plan," he said. "The Church has a very good reputation in a disaster. I think people naturally look to the Church because of its organization. You saw that in Florida with Hurricane Andrew a few years ago. The community just naturally looks to the Church for leadership in a disaster."

Pres. Lansing said that the home teaching program helps bishops track and handle isolated tragedies in wards. If the problem is greater than a ward's resources, he explained, then the stake steps in; from there, the multi-stake welfare group provides help, and from there through the area presidency and leaders in Salt Lake City, depending on the severity of the disaster.

He explained that rising waters from the James River, which flows through the center of the stake, caused flooding. However, only minimal damage to members' homes has been reported. Fran's biggest effect, he said, was loss of electricity.

Pres. Lansing added that the stake's resources have been sufficient to help victims. The stake center and meetinghouses have served as places where members can bathe and cook meals. He said his stake was fortunate in the hurricane's outcome.

However, he noted, "the hurricane season is still young."

Pres. Walker of the Wilmington stake probably best stated the attitude of members in stricken areas: "I've thought the last few days about the pioneers and the hard situations they had to deal with. They certainly left us a legacy of faith. We can't do anything less than that. We'll forge ahead and do anything we have to do."