At least 95 people have died in the wake of Hurricane Helene devastating parts of the southeast US after it made landfall in Florida last week, with hundreds still missing and the death toll expected to climb further.
More than 30 people were killed and an estimated 600 people are still missing in Buncombe County, North Carolina, alone as of Monday morning.
“We have biblical devastation through the county,” said Ryan Cole, an emergency official for the county. “This is the most significant natural disaster that any one of us has ever seen.”
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said that “it looks like a bomb went off” in the state, which has seen 17 killed in the storm.
Millions remain without power in the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida and Virginia. Hundreds of roads are closed due to damages, blockages and widespread flooding, further hindering the delivery of crucial supplies.
President Joe Biden, who spoke with Kemp along with other governors of affected states, will visit communities impacted by Helene, the White House announced on Sunday. Former President Donald Trump also announced that he will visit the storm-ravaged swing state of Georgia, he said during a Pennsylvania rally.
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At least 95 dead with death toll expected to climb
At Least 95 people have died across six Southeastern states from the fallout of Helene since it made landfall at Florida’s Big Bend as a Category 4 hurricane on Thursday.
Deaths have been reported in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.
According to state officials, at least 36 people are dead in North Carolina, at least 25 are dead in South Carolina, at least 17 people have died in Georgia, at least 11 people have died in Florida, two people have died in Virginia, and four people have died in Tennessee.
Officials expect the death toll is expected to rise further.
James Liddell30 September 2024 09:52
‘99 per cent of Florida has power,’ DeSantis says
Approximately “99 per cent of the state of Florida has power,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced on Sunday evening.
DeSantis claimed that about 2.3 homes and businesses have had their power restored after Hurricane Helene caused widespread blackouts across the Sunshine State.
The governor says that only 111,000 electricity customers are without power in Florida, while Poweroutages.US shows that more than 130,000 homes and businesses remain without electricity, as of Monday morning.
Taylor County, Madison County and Hamilton County currently have the highest proportion of outages.
James Liddell30 September 2024 09:32
Where are the other storms?
Two other weather systems are being monitored by the National Hurricane Center, as the devastation from Helene continues to be assessed.
Hurricane Isaac is several hundred miles west-northwest of the Azores and and Tropical Storm Joyce is located over the central tropical Atlantic. Neither is expected to affect land.
Also in the Atlantic is a tropical wave with a medium chance to develop in the coming week.
Mike Bedigan30 September 2024 08:00
Watch: Sarasota County, Florida, Helene update
Mike Bedigan30 September 2024 06:00
National Hurricane Center warnings over new tropical depression
Mike Bedigan30 September 2024 05:01
National Hurricane Center monitoring new systems in the Gulf
Mike Bedigan30 September 2024 04:00
In pictures: Destruction in Florida in the wake of Helene
Mike Bedigan30 September 2024 03:00
Trump to visit Georgia on Monday
Donald Trump’s campaign announced on Sunday he’ll visit Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday to survey Helene’s impact on that state.
The former president is expected to receive a briefing, facilitate the distribution of relief supplies and deliver remarks during the visit, according to his campaign.
The state of Georgia is one of several hotly contested battlegrounds that will be pivotal in the November presidential election.
Mike Bedigan30 September 2024 02:00
Biden intends to visit areas affected by Helene next week
President Joe Biden says he will visit Hurricane Helene-impacted areas this week as long as it does not disrupt rescue and recovery operations.
Biden was briefed again on Sunday evening about the impact of the devastating storm on an enormous swath of the Southeast.
The president in a brief exchange with reporters on Sunday described the impact of the storm as “stunning” and said that the administration is giving states “everything we have” to help with their response to the storm.
Mike Bedigan30 September 2024 01:30
Death toll from Helene pushes past 80
The North Carolina County of Buncombe that includes the mountain city of Asheville reported 30 people killed due to the storm, pushing the overall death toll to at least 84 people across several states.
Supplies were being airlifted to the region around Asheville. Buncombe County Manager Avril Pinder pledged that she would have food and water into the city — which is known for its arts, culture and natural attractions — by Monday.
“We hear you. We need food and we need water,” Pinder said on a Sunday call with reporters. “My staff has been making every request possible to the state for support and we’ve been working with every single organization that has reached out. What I promise you is that we are very close.”
Mike Bedigan30 September 2024 01:00