Nearly 90 fatalities have been confirmed across the United States due to the catastrophic effects of Hurricane Helene, which has wreaked havoc throughout the southeastern region of Florida and other states, according to reports released this Sunday. The hurricane's torrential rains have caused severe flooding, leaving thousands stranded and awaiting rescue, while millions remain without electricity in southeastern Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, according to an Associated Press report.
As of now, at least 89 deaths have been documented in five states: North Carolina (36), South Carolina (24), Georgia (17), Florida (11), and Virginia (1), according to CNN. Additionally, numerous reports of missing persons have surfaced amidst widespread communication outages.
Impact and Casualties
At least a third of the fatalities resulted from falling trees. In Florida, nine out of the 11 confirmed deaths occurred by drowning in their homes located in a mandatory evacuation zone along the Gulf Coast in Pinellas County, reported Sheriff Bob Gualtieri.
South Carolina has experienced at least 24 deaths, marking Helene as the deadliest tropical cyclone in the state since Hurricane Hugo in 1989, which claimed 35 lives after making landfall north of Charleston, AP reported.
Path of Destruction
Helene made landfall Thursday night in Florida's Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane, with winds reaching 140 mph (225 km/h). Remarkably, none of the reported fatalities are from Taylor County, where the storm initially struck near the mouth of the Aucilla River, roughly 20 miles northwest of where Hurricane Idalia hit in 2023 with similar intensity.
The storm quickly moved through Georgia and, in a weakened state, deluged the Carolinas and Tennessee with heavy rains, causing streams and rivers to overflow and forcing reservoirs to flood.
Numerous individuals were displaced from their homes in Pinellas County, Florida, noted Cathie Perkins, the county's Emergency Management Director, during a press conference on Sunday.
Widespread Damage and Response
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp described the scene as resembling a bomb explosion after surveying shattered homes and debris-covered roads from the air on Saturday.
Atlanta recorded 11.12 inches (28.24 cm) of rain within 48 hours—the highest amount since historical records began in 1878. Western North Carolina faced isolation due to landslides and floods, leading to the closure of around 300 roads. Parts of Asheville were submerged, marking the state's worst flooding in a century, which Governor Roy Cooper labeled "catastrophic." Search and rescue teams from 19 states and the federal government have been deployed to assist.
Buncombe County, North Carolina, has received over 1,000 reports of missing persons through an online form, said county administrator Avril Pinder on Sunday. In Tennessee, a dramatic helicopter rescue was conducted for patients and staff from a hospital in rural Unicoi County. However, at least 73 individuals remain unaccounted for in that county, authorities mentioned during a press briefing on Sunday morning.
Federal Assistance and Recovery Efforts
President Joe Biden described the devastation caused by Helene as "overwhelming" on Saturday and pledged federal assistance. According to reports from AP and NBC News, Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Florida to provide aid to areas severely impacted by Hurricane Helene, as stated in a FEMA press release. Residents in 17 Florida counties, including Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Manatee, will be eligible for funding such as temporary housing grants, home repair support, and uninsured property loans.
Biden also approved a disaster declaration for North Carolina on Saturday, making federal funds available to affected residents. The president stated on Sunday that he is in "constant contact" with local and state authorities to provide resources to communities impacted by Helene. "As we continue to support response and recovery efforts, we will ensure that no resources are spared to help communities swiftly begin their path to rebuilding," Biden wrote on social media platform X, adding that he and Jill Biden are praying for those affected.
Meanwhile, more than 2.5 million homes and businesses from Florida to Virginia remain without power, according to PowerOutage.US. The majority of outages are in South Carolina (over 924,500), Georgia (more than 685,000), and North Carolina (over 554,600). In Florida, more than 230,600 customers are without electricity, and nearly 138,000 in Virginia. Moody's Analytics estimates the material damages caused by Helene in the U.S. to range between $15 billion and $26 billion. However, preliminary estimates by AccuWeather suggest total damages and economic losses in the country could be between $95 billion and $110 billion, AP reported.
Helene is the eighth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which began on June 1 and ends on November 30. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecasted an above-average season this year due to record ocean temperatures.
Summary compiled with information from AP, NBC News, Telemundo, and CNN.