Hurricane Helene made landfall in the United States as a Category 4 storm, devastating coastal Florida and parts of Georgia. It then lashed out across large swaths of North Carolina, washing away roads, causing landslides, and knocking out power and cell service for millions.
Insurance companies and forecasters said damage estimates from Hurricane Helene ranged from $15 billion to more than $100 billion due to damage to water supplies, communications and key transportation routes, Reuters reported.
North Carolina is in the path of Hurricane Helene, along with Tennessee, South Carolina and Virginia.
According to the New York Times hurricane report, the western part of North Carolina is facing a historic disaster in the wake of the storm.
Hurricane Helene brought torrential rains and dangerous landslides, leaving the region in a state of crisis. Gretchen Hogan, a resident of Brevard, North Carolina, said the situation was "like a miniature apocalypse."
Many areas lost power and cellphone service due to the storm, complicating rescue efforts. Debris, fallen trees and flooding closed more than 400 roads and gas stations ran out of fuel.
These challenges make rescuing residents and assessing damage a nearly impossible task.
On September 29, North Carolina airdropped food to cut-off communities and sent workers to restore water systems. In Asheville, officials said it could take weeks to restore water.
After making landfall in Florida, Hurricane Helene set several records. Hurricane Helene tore through Florida’s Big Bend as a Category 4 storm, with winds of up to 140 mph. Helene was fueled by warm ocean temperatures. It was the strongest hurricane to ever hit Florida’s Big Bend.
Helene, the third hurricane to hit the Big Bend in 13 months, broke storm surge records, many of which were set more than a year ago when Hurricane Idalia made landfall.
As damage from Hurricane Helene spreads, the White House has approved emergency requests for federal assistance from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama.
Over the weekend, President Joe Biden directed Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell to survey the area to assess the damage. FEMA said more than 1,270 rescue workers have been deployed.
According to US officials, the death toll from Hurricane Helene is likely to rise. As of the afternoon of September 29, more than 100 people were confirmed dead in 6 states: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
The highest death toll in a single state was 38, in North Carolina, where officials described the disaster as “historic.” In South Carolina, 28 people died from the effects of Helene. In Florida, where Helene made landfall, 13 people died, mostly in Pinellas County.
