The death toll from the powerful storm Helene rose to at least 93 on Sunday, with North Carolina reporting 30 fatalities alone, according to authorities. Rescuers faced significant challenges as they worked to reach those in need across the southeastern United States.
The response to the storm took on a political dimension, with President Joe Biden and the two candidates vying to succeed him, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, announcing plans to visit the hardest-hit areas, some of which are in key battleground states ahead of the November election.
High winds and torrential rain battered towns and cities in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, causing widespread destruction. Homes were devastated, roads were flooded, and millions lost power.
“We’re hearing of significant infrastructure damage to water systems, communication, roads, critical transportation routes, as well as several homes that have been just destroyed by this,” said Deanne Criswell, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, on Sunday.
The fatalities included 37 in North Carolina, 25 in South Carolina, 17 in Georgia, 11 in Florida, two in Tennessee, and one in Virginia, according to tallies from local authorities compiled by AFP. This total is expected to rise.
“We have another devastating update. We now have 30 confirmed losses due to the storm,” said Quentin Miller, the sheriff of North Carolina’s Buncombe County, which includes the tourist city of Asheville, during a briefing.
Flood warnings remained active in parts of western North Carolina due to fears of potential dam failures. National Weather Service director Ken Graham noted that conditions in the affected areas are expected to improve by around Tuesday.
As of Sunday, nearly 2.2 million households were still without power, according to the power outage tracker poweroutage.us. Matt Targuagno, a US Department of Energy official, mentioned that crews were working diligently to restore electricity but cautioned that it would be a “complex, multi-day response.”
Thousands continued to seek assistance in American Red Cross-run shelters, according to organization official Jennifer Pipa.
– **Bridges Washed Away** –
Helene made landfall on Florida’s northern Gulf shore as a massive Category Four hurricane with winds reaching 140 miles per hour (225 kilometers per hour). Even as the storm weakened, it caused extensive damage. North Carolina experienced some of the worst flooding, with Governor Roy Cooper stating that rescuers were forced to airlift supplies in certain areas due to damaged or flooded roads.
“I don’t know that anybody could be fully prepared for the amount of flooding and landslides that they are experiencing right now,” Criswell said during an interview on CBS, noting that more search and rescue teams were being deployed to assist affected areas.
William Ray, director of the state’s emergency management department, cautioned that conditions remained extremely dangerous. Hundreds of roads across the region were still closed, with several bridges washed away due to the floodwaters.
“Four major interstate highways are closed across North Carolina and Tennessee, with ‘multiple’ bridges still out,” said Kristin White from the US Department of Transportation. In Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, each state had over 100 road closures, she added.
In the city of Valdosta, Georgia, the storm ripped roofs off buildings and left road intersections filled with fallen utility poles and trees. “The wind started really hitting, like, felt branches and pieces of the roof hitting the side of the building and hitting the windows,” said Valdosta resident Steven Mauro. “And then we were looking out, and then literally this whole street just went black.”
Former President Donald Trump, who is seeking another term, plans to visit Valdosta on Monday for a briefing on the disaster, according to his campaign. Meanwhile, President Biden, who has approved federal aid for several states affected by the disaster, intends to travel to the hardest-hit areas this week, “as soon as it will not disrupt emergency response operations,” the White House announced on Sunday. Vice President Kamala Harris will also be making a similar visit.
“We will stand with these communities for as long as it takes to ensure that they are able to recover and rebuild,” Harris stated on Sunday evening at a campaign rally in Las Vegas. Biden is scheduled to address the post-storm response from the White House on Monday.
