A woman has been dubbed “Hurricane Karen” for complaining about not receiving a refund for her “mountain vacation” in a town devastated by the recent deadly storm.
The woman, known only as Chelsea, embarrassed the owner of a rental property she and her family were traveling to in Hendersonville, western North Carolina, for not issuing a prompt refund following Hurricane Helene, which swept six states last week. .
The storm hit the region late Friday night and into Saturday morning, leaving a trail of destruction that left 137 dead.
That number is expected to rise, as entire cities remain without aid and there are reports of bodies piled up in areas that authorities have not yet properly examined.
Despite receiving a refund on Monday, the first business day after the tragedy, Chelsea vented her frustrations on TikTok on Sunday in a series of videos that sparked fierce backlash.
“We booked a vacation in the mountains not knowing that a hurricane would come and destroy the small town we were supposed to go to,” Chelsea said.
“We are still expected to make this trip, not knowing if there is property damage, not knowing if the location is even accessible, not knowing if the surrounding events or attractions will continue to operate.”
Chelsea and her family of six intended to drive to western North Carolina, a five-hour trip from their home on the coast.
The storm hit the region late Friday night and into Saturday morning, leaving a trail of destruction that left 130 dead.
‘Nothing is going to be the same. You pay X amount of dollars to go on vacation… you expect to have a vacation, not try to get around the barricades.’
Chelsea and her family of six intended to drive to western North Carolina, a five-hour trip from their home on the coast.
Since then, entire roads have been washed away or destroyed, and many of the towns have been completely isolated, with no roads in or out left.
On Sunday, just a day after the catastrophic storm hit the area, Chelsea was on the phone with booking agents trying to get a refund for the $2,500 payment she had made.
After spending an hour on the phone with Evolve, the property management company that handles Airbnb accommodations, Chelsea was told that they “must contact the owner first before they can make executive decisions about refunds.”
“To make matters worse,” he said, “how do we know the owner doesn’t live in the area and it’s not abandoned?”
‘How do we know the owner doesn’t live out of state and doesn’t even know what’s going on?’
Since then, entire roads have been washed away or destroyed, and many of the towns have been completely isolated, with no roads in or out left.
Pictured: A home in Hendersonville destroyed as a result of Hurricane Helene.
An 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. curfew is in effect “until conditions improve” in Hendersonville, where Chelsea had planned to travel, according to the county’s official website.
As of Tuesday morning, the death toll in North Carolina stood at 56.
In Asheville, one of the hardest-hit “mountain towns” and in close proximity to Chelsea family vacation, Mayor Esther Manheimer says there are still 600 locals missing and unaccounted for.
Critics noted that the owner could be one of those victims or one of the locals still missing. The homeowner may have family and friends in the region who have been affected.
Beyond that, it is evident that locals are dealing with the immediate consequences of the tragedy and even in the depths of the rescue and cleanup missions.
One said: ‘Can you imagine being so absorbed… after a natural disaster, in which people have lost their lives?’
The death toll is expected to rise as entire cities remain without aid and there are reports of bodies piling up in areas that authorities have not yet properly examined.
Disturbing images have emerged showing the extent of the crisis in Asheville.
Another said: ‘Maximum Karen behaviour. Wanting to talk to the manager when Mother Nature ruins your vacation.
Henderson County remains under a state of emergency as of Tuesday as cleanup and recovery efforts begin.
According to the county’s official website, a curfew is in effect between 8:00 pm and 8:00 am “until conditions improve.”
A missing persons map shows the extent of the hoax in the region. Dozens of red dots indicate that locals are still missing and have not yet contacted their loved ones.
Red dots and the names of missing people are scattered throughout the region. So far the death of five locals has been confirmed.
Survivors have been encouraged to head to one of six resource centers, where they can receive “a day’s worth of food supplies and water, as available.”
Hendersonville (pictured) remains under a state of emergency as of Tuesday, as cleanup and recovery efforts begin.
One last tragic photo has emerged of grandparents sitting on the roof of their North Carolina home, surrounded by floodwaters as they waited for rescuers to arrive.
In a separate update posted on Monday, Chelsea revealed that her refund had been processed, the first business day after the tragedy.
Despite the quick service she received, Chelsea stood by her initial criticism, arguing that as a “short-term rental host” all reservations should have been canceled immediately.
‘Cancel all reservations and refund your people. Because nine times out of ten your people won’t want to come to the place where a natural disaster occurred.’
‘When a natural disaster happens, I expect some kind of adaptation, some kind of communication, some kind of understanding. Don’t get in your car, drive five hours from your place in eastern North Carolina to somewhere to rent.
“This makes me angry,” he said of the cancellation process.
In the face of mounting criticism for her insensitive video, Chelsea uploaded another clip of herself performing the song ‘Anti Hero’ by Taylor Swift, specifically the lyrics ‘Hey, I’m the problem, it’s me.’ The caption read: “I managed to piss off the internet today.”
