Hurricane "Helene" Claims Nearly 100 Lives in Its Path Across the U.S.; North Carolina Hit the Hardest
Hurricane "Helene" had claimed nearly 100 lives across six southeastern U.S. states by Sunday evening, with North Carolina being the hardest hit. The government has declared a "major disaster" in the state to expedite assistance efforts.
The latest official death toll stood at 93 across six states. North Carolina suffered the most with 36 fatalities, followed by South Carolina with 25 (including two firefighters), Georgia with 17, Florida with 11, Virginia with two, and Tennessee with two.
The number of casualties might rise, as CBS reported a count of 105 deaths, with 30 occurring in Buncombe County, North Carolina—one of the hardest-hit areas.
Hurricane "Helene" had claimed nearly 100 lives across six southeastern U.S. states by Sunday evening, with North Carolina being the hardest hit. The government has declared a "major disaster" in the state to expedite assistance efforts.
The latest official death toll stood at 93 across six states. North Carolina suffered the most with 36 fatalities, followed by South Carolina with 25 (including two firefighters), Georgia with 17, Florida with 11, Virginia with two, and Tennessee with two.
The number of casualties might rise, as CBS reported a count of 105 deaths, with 30 occurring in Buncombe County, North Carolina—one of the hardest-hit areas.
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"Helene" made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on Thursday night in southeastern Florida and moved north, bringing torrential rains and hurricane-force winds that have left behind widespread devastation, as rescue and recovery teams continue their efforts.
North Carolina experienced severe impacts, particularly in the western part of the state. The town of Asheville was partially submerged, with homes destroyed and streets covered in debris, as reported by local media.
Governor Roy Cooper stated in a press conference that heavy rains caused landslides in the mountains, destroying roads, knocking down power lines, and toppling telecommunications towers as they moved into residential areas.
Approximately 280 state roads remain closed, complicating emergency operations. Authorities are delivering resources, food, and water to stranded individuals via airlift, with about 1,000 people currently in shelters, according to Cooper.
North Carolina's airports in Asheville and Charlotte were among the most affected by cancellations and delays, but they continue with the majority of their operations.
Governor Cooper described "Helene" as "one of the worst storms in modern history" for the state and anticipated more casualties, given numerous reports of missing persons.
A similar situation unfolded in Unicoi County, Tennessee, where authorities were searching for more than 70 missing individuals as of Sunday morning.
The challenges have been exacerbated by widespread power outages affecting 2.4 million people across the five hardest-hit southeastern states, with an additional 130,000 affected in five neighboring northern states where the hurricane had weakened.
Although "Helene" has weakened to a post-tropical cyclone as of Friday and is no longer being tracked by meteorologists, it is expected to continue bringing heavy rainfall through tomorrow in the southern Appalachian Mountains.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is coordinating hundreds of personnel in rescue and recovery operations. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell noted on X that some communities impacted by "Helene" were still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Idalia (2023).
"Helene" made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on Thursday night in southeastern Florida and moved north, bringing torrential rains and hurricane-force winds that have left behind widespread devastation, as rescue and recovery teams continue their efforts.
North Carolina experienced severe impacts, particularly in the western part of the state. The town of Asheville was partially submerged, with homes destroyed and streets covered in debris, as reported by local media.
Governor Roy Cooper stated in a press conference that heavy rains caused landslides in the mountains, destroying roads, knocking down power lines, and toppling telecommunications towers as they moved into residential areas.
Approximately 280 state roads remain closed, complicating emergency operations. Authorities are delivering resources, food, and water to stranded individuals via airlift, with about 1,000 people currently in shelters, according to Cooper.
North Carolina's airports in Asheville and Charlotte were among the most affected by cancellations and delays, but they continue with the majority of their operations.
Governor Cooper described "Helene" as "one of the worst storms in modern history" for the state and anticipated more casualties, given numerous reports of missing persons.
A similar situation unfolded in Unicoi County, Tennessee, where authorities were searching for more than 70 missing individuals as of Sunday morning.
The challenges have been exacerbated by widespread power outages affecting 2.4 million people across the five hardest-hit southeastern states, with an additional 130,000 affected in five neighboring northern states where the hurricane had weakened.
Although "Helene" has weakened to a post-tropical cyclone as of Friday and is no longer being tracked by meteorologists, it is expected to continue bringing heavy rainfall through tomorrow in the southern Appalachian Mountains.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is coordinating hundreds of personnel in rescue and recovery operations. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell noted on X that some communities impacted by "Helene" were still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Idalia (2023).