Unnamed Expert on Bridge Safety

Twenty-three people died in landslides here during Helene. And some scientists say while it's hard to know when landslides will happen, there's a lot of data to show where they'll happen. On a recent cold, rainy day, as thick gray fog covered the horizon, I headed into North Carolina's mountains with geologist Rick Wooten.

Twenty-three people died in landslides here during Helene. And some scientists say while it's hard to know when landslides will happen, there's a lot of data to show where they'll happen. On a recent cold, rainy day, as thick gray fog covered the horizon, I headed into North Carolina's mountains with geologist Rick Wooten.

We made our way up a steep path to the site of an enormous landslide that tore the mountain down to the bedrock.

We made our way up a steep path to the site of an enormous landslide that tore the mountain down to the bedrock.

We made our way up a steep path to the site of an enormous landslide that tore the mountain down to the bedrock.

Water trickles down 400 feet of now barren rock. And in the valley below, family homes lay smashed. Eleven people died in this landslide.

Water trickles down 400 feet of now barren rock. And in the valley below, family homes lay smashed. Eleven people died in this landslide.

Water trickles down 400 feet of now barren rock. And in the valley below, family homes lay smashed. Eleven people died in this landslide.

You can see that in the rocks?

You can see that in the rocks?

You can see that in the rocks?

Wooten has spent two decades mapping landslides, helping to create a database that predicts where they'll occur. This hillside was marked in the database. But he says funding for the project was cut off at one point for seven years. Ten counties still haven't been mapped.

Wooten has spent two decades mapping landslides, helping to create a database that predicts where they'll occur. This hillside was marked in the database. But he says funding for the project was cut off at one point for seven years. Ten counties still haven't been mapped.

Wooten has spent two decades mapping landslides, helping to create a database that predicts where they'll occur. This hillside was marked in the database. But he says funding for the project was cut off at one point for seven years. Ten counties still haven't been mapped.

I went over to see Susan Fisher. She was a lawmaker in the statehouse at the time of the funding gap and co-sponsored a bill to create statewide safety regulations on mountains. Her bill and another similar bill made it through the committee without a problem. And then what happened? It just dies. In the years that you've had to think about why these bills died, who do you think didn't like them?

I went over to see Susan Fisher. She was a lawmaker in the statehouse at the time of the funding gap and co-sponsored a bill to create statewide safety regulations on mountains. Her bill and another similar bill made it through the committee without a problem. And then what happened? It just dies. In the years that you've had to think about why these bills died, who do you think didn't like them?

I went over to see Susan Fisher. She was a lawmaker in the statehouse at the time of the funding gap and co-sponsored a bill to create statewide safety regulations on mountains. Her bill and another similar bill made it through the committee without a problem. And then what happened? It just dies. In the years that you've had to think about why these bills died, who do you think didn't like them?

I think that anyone who was representing developers or homebuilders didn't want that bill. Why? Because it's money. People are spending money to have houses built on top of ridges. These developers and homebuilders across the nation, they're often powerfully organized. And I wanted to understand just what kind of influence they have here in North Carolina.

I think that anyone who was representing developers or homebuilders didn't want that bill. Why? Because it's money. People are spending money to have houses built on top of ridges. These developers and homebuilders across the nation, they're often powerfully organized. And I wanted to understand just what kind of influence they have here in North Carolina.

I think that anyone who was representing developers or homebuilders didn't want that bill. Why? Because it's money. People are spending money to have houses built on top of ridges. These developers and homebuilders across the nation, they're often powerfully organized. And I wanted to understand just what kind of influence they have here in North Carolina.