Hurricane Helene has caused widespread devastation across the southeastern United States, with the death toll rising to nearly 100. Authorities are struggling to deliver water and supplies to areas cut off by flooding. In North Carolina, a county including Asheville reported 30 deaths, pushing the state’s total fatalities to 91 across several states, including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia.
Supplies are being airlifted to the region around Asheville, a city known for its arts and natural beauty. Buncombe County Manager Avril Pinder assured residents that food and water would reach the city by Monday. She acknowledged the urgent need for supplies and emphasized that efforts were being made to secure help.
Rebuilding efforts are expected to be long and challenging, as homes and property have been severely damaged. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper warned that the death toll could rise as rescuers reach isolated areas cut off by collapsed roads and flooded infrastructure. He urged residents to stay off the roads to allow emergency vehicles to move freely. Over 50 search teams are deployed, saving people stranded in dangerous conditions, including 41 individuals north of Asheville and an infant.
President Joe Biden plans to visit the affected areas later this week, but only if it won’t disrupt ongoing rescue efforts. Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 storm with winds of 140 mph. It quickly moved through Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee, causing torrential rains that flooded rivers and strained dams.
More than 2 million people remain without power, with South Carolina experiencing the most outages. Governor Henry McMaster asked for patience as utility crews worked to restore electricity, noting that it would take time to fix widespread damage.
In North Carolina, flooding has been the worst in a century. One town, Spruce Pine, received over 2 feet of rain between Tuesday and Saturday. Jessica Drye Turner, a resident of Texas, had begged for help for her family trapped on a rooftop in Asheville as floodwaters rose. Tragically, help didn’t arrive in time, and her parents and young nephew drowned when their roof collapsed.
Blocked roads, mudslides, and damaged infrastructure have made it difficult to send aid to affected areas. Buncombe County, where Asheville is located, is facing shortages of water and other essentials. Law enforcement is preparing to respond to tensions over scarce resources as arguments and threats of violence have been reported.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell toured parts of Georgia on Sunday and plans to visit North Carolina to oversee rescue and recovery efforts. She noted that many communities in western North Carolina are still cut off due to damaged roads and bridges.
President Biden has pledged federal aid and approved a disaster declaration for North Carolina, making funding available to help individuals recover from the storm’s destruction.
In Florida’s Big Bend region, many residents have lost nearly everything. Some churches, like Faith Baptist Church in Perry, held outdoor services due to storm damage, offering prayers for the community’s recovery. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp described the devastation as looking like a bomb went off after surveying the damage. In Augusta, Georgia, water service was cut off for 24 to 48 hours due to storm debris blocking the city’s water supply.
South Carolina also suffered significant losses, with at least 25 people killed, making Helene the deadliest hurricane in the state since Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Moody’s Analytics estimates that the property damage from the storm could range from $15 billion to $26 billion.
Experts believe climate change has made conditions more favorable for storms like Helene to grow rapidly in intensity. Meanwhile, forecasters are monitoring a new tropical depression in the Atlantic, which could develop into a strong hurricane later this week.
