Rescuers are currently searching for survivors in the aftermath of tropical storm Helene, which brought heavy rain and wind to the south-eastern US. The storm has resulted in over 60 deaths, widespread destruction of homes, and power outages affecting millions of people. After making landfall as a category 4 hurricane on Thursday, Helene caused extensive flood damage as it tore through Georgia and the Carolinas over the weekend. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is leading a rescue and clean-up effort involving 3,200 personnel across six states that have declared a state of emergency. As reported by the Associated Press, at least 64 deaths have been recorded across five states due to the storm. Although Helene has weakened from its peak strength with winds reaching 140mph, it is expected to dissipate by Monday.
North Carolina was hit hardest by the storm, with at least 25 fatalities reported—the highest death toll from a storm in the state since Hurricane Hugo in 1989—alongside severe flooding described as the worst in a century. US President Joe Biden has declared major disasters for North Carolina and Florida, unlocking federal assistance programs for affected areas. Emergency disaster declarations have also been approved for Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
The US National Weather Service office in South Carolina described Helene as ”the worst event in our office’s history,” expressing devastation over widespread flooding and wind damage caused by the hurricane across their forecast area.
The impact of Helene left many people stranded or without shelter throughout the region. Power outages affected approximately 2.7 million households across southeastern states but decreased to around 40% from its peak on Friday according to energy department data.
Preliminary estimates suggest that property damage and reduced economic output resulting from this storm could amount to up to $34 billion according to Moody’s rating agency; however AccuWeather forecasts indicate higher figures ranging between $95 billion and $110 billion—making Helene potentially one of America’s most destructive storms ever recorded.
Senator Lindsey Graham highlighted significant devastation along an imaginary line stretching from Hilton Head (South Carolina) to Charlotte (North Carolina), stating that everything westward had been severely impacted.
Florida experienced record-breaking levels of storm surge along its Big Bend area with up to fifteen feet reported in one county according FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell during an interview on CBS’s Face The Nation program on Sunday.
