Less than two weeks after deadly floods ravaged central and eastern Europe, Hurricane Helen made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region on Thursday and wreaked havoc across the southeastern U.S. and southern Appalachia.
The death toll from the storm has risen to at least 91 people across several states, with officials warning that the rebuilding process will be lengthy and difficult.
The storm caused flooding and damage in Asheville on Saturday. Across North Carolina, more than 50 search teams were deployed to reach stranded people. As of Monday morning, over 400,000 homes and businesses in the state were still without power.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has predicted that the death toll will rise as rescuers gain access to areas cut off by collapsed roads, damaged infrastructure, and widespread flooding. Governor Cooper urged residents in western North Carolina to avoid traveling, both for their own safety and to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles.
"This is an unprecedented tragedy that requires an unprecedented response," North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said.
Members of the National Guard and relief teams from 19 states joined search and rescue missions in the state.
William Ray, the director of the North Carolina Department for Public Safety emergency management, said response teams "are working around the clock to make rescues, to access neighborhoods."
Six-hundred people remain unaccounted for in hard-hit Buncombe County, North Carolina, which encompasses Asheville, according to county officials.
Thirty people in Buncombe County have also been confirmed dead from the hurricane, the sheriff said.
Buncombe County remains under a state of emergency.
In Asheville, there has been no cell service or water supply for several days. Zeb Smathers –— the mayor of Canton, to the west of Asheville — told "Good Morning America" the situation was "apocalyptic, not just for Canton, but the entire region."
The area is suffering from a total cell phone "blackout," Smathers said, meaning residents are unable to check on loved ones or urge those at risk from further flooding to evacuate.
Beyond North Carolina, deaths were also reported in Florida, South Carolina, and Virginia.
In Florida, where Helene made landfall with 140 mph winds, the storm caused flooding along the west coast. The Tampa Bay region was particularly hard hit, with the death toll reaching nine on Sunday.
South Carolina also reported its highest death toll in Spartanburg County, with at least five fatalities, and power outages witnessed in the western part of the state.
Also, in Tennessee, Unicoi County officials reported 73 people unaccounted for as of Sunday afternoon, though no deaths had been confirmed.
President Biden described the impact of Hurricane Helene as "stunning" and pledged to visit the affected areas this week. He stated that the administration is providing the states with "everything we have" to support their response efforts.
Closing Thoughts
While the exact effect of Hurricane Helen remains unknown, it has caused monumental damages so far and has cut communities off from essential services. Rescue efforts are needed now more than ever before.