The Southeastern U.S. initiated a significant cleanup and recovery operation on Sunday, with the death toll approaching 100 after Hurricane Helene caused widespread power outages, destroyed infrastructure, and resulted in severe flooding from Florida to Virginia.
The storm’s winds, rain, and storm surge claimed the lives of at least 90 individuals across North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia, according to a tally by Reuters based on state and local officials. Authorities remain concerned that more bodies may still be uncovered.
Read more: Death Toll Rises to 43 as Hurricane Helene Strikes Southeastern US
With cell phone towers down throughout the area, many individuals have been unable to contact loved ones and are considered unaccounted for. Damage estimates range from $15 billion to over $100 billion, affecting water systems, communication networks, and vital transportation routes. Property damage and the impact on economic productivity will become clearer as assessments of the devastation are conducted.
In North Carolina, the majority of the fatalities occurred in Buncombe County, where Sheriff Quentin Miller reported 30 deaths. County Manager Avril Pinder stated that she was requesting emergency food and drinking water from the state, as streets in the scenic city of Asheville were submerged in floodwaters.
“This is a catastrophic disaster of historic proportions,” Governor Roy Cooper told CNN. Residents in western North Carolina have reported never having witnessed anything like it. Search and rescue teams from 19 states, along with federal assistance, have arrived in the area, with some roads potentially taking months to repair.
In Flat Rock, North Carolina, widespread blackouts left residents waiting for hours to purchase gas. “Grocery stores are closed, cellphone service is out,” said Chip Frank, 62, as he waited for three hours in line. “It all depends on these gas stations. You’re not going to be able to go anywhere, and it’s just a scary feeling.”
Approximately 2.7 million customers across the South were without power on Sunday, according to a U.S. Energy Department official, although this was a 40% reduction from Friday. South Carolina reported 25 fatalities, Georgia 17, and Florida 11, according to the respective governors. CNN cited a total of 93 deaths across the South based on state and local reports.
President Joe Biden plans to visit the affected areas this week, pending the ability to do so without interfering with emergency operations. “It’s tragic,” Biden told reporters, promising recovery assistance after declaring major disasters in Florida and North Carolina and emergencies in Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Alabama. “You saw the photographs. It’s stunning.”
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is set to visit Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday to receive a briefing on storm damage and to assist in the distribution of relief supplies, according to his campaign.
Hurricane Helene struck Florida’s Gulf Coast on Thursday night, resulting in days of heavy rain and the destruction of homes that had stood for many years. In Horseshoe Beach, about 70 miles west of Gainesville, Charlene Huggins surveyed the wreckage of her destroyed house, pulling out a jacket from the debris on Saturday.
“Five generations lived in this house, from my grandmother to my father, myself, my daughter, son, and granddaughter,” Huggins said, clutching a chipped glass cake stand. “There are so many memories here. It just breaks your heart.”
Nearby, James Ellenburg stood on the property where his family has resided for four generations. “I took my first step right here in this yard.” One home had its roof flattened and walls blown away.
In coastal Steinhatchee, a storm surge of 8 to 10 feet moved mobile homes, according to the weather service, while other areas experienced surges of up to 15 feet. In the small community of Spring Warrior Fish Camp, residents were assessing damage on Saturday and still awaiting emergency assistance.
“No one thinks of us back here,” said David Hall as he and his wife sifted through seagrass and dead fish in their hotel office. Many homes in the community, built on stilts due to local regulations, sustained heavy damage.
Kristin Macqueen was assisting friends in cleaning up after their home was destroyed in nearby Keaton Beach. “It’s complete devastation,” she remarked. “Houses have just been ripped off their foundations.”
