The death toll from Hurricane Helene has risen to at least 93, with one county in North Carolina reporting 30 fatalities, as rescuers continue to reach those in need across the southeastern United States. In response to the devastation, President Joe Biden, along with Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, announced plans to visit the hard-hit areas, many of which are in key battleground states for the upcoming November election.
The storm caused significant destruction across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, with high winds and heavy rains leading to destroyed homes, flooded roads, and power outages affecting millions. “We’re hearing reports of severe infrastructure damage to water systems, communication networks, roads, and critical transportation routes, along with numerous destroyed homes,” said Deanne Criswell, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The fatalities were reported as follows: 37 in North Carolina, 25 in South Carolina, 17 in Georgia, 11 in Florida, two in Tennessee, and one in Virginia. These numbers are expected to rise. “We have another devastating update. We now have 30 confirmed losses due to the storm,” said Quentin Miller, sheriff of Buncombe County in North Carolina, which includes Asheville.
Flood warnings are still in effect in parts of western North Carolina amid concerns of potential dam failures, though conditions are expected to improve by Tuesday, according to National Weather Service director Ken Graham. Nearly 2.2 million households remained without power, and officials from the US Department of Energy stated that restoring electricity would be a “complex, multi-day response.”
Many people continue to seek assistance at shelters run by the American Red Cross, according to organization official Jennifer Pipa.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a powerful Category Four hurricane, with winds reaching 140 miles per hour. Even as it weakened, it caused extensive damage. North Carolina experienced some of the worst flooding, with Governor Roy Cooper noting that rescuers had to airlift supplies in certain areas due to flooded or damaged roads.
William Ray, director of the state’s emergency management department, warned that conditions remain extremely hazardous. Hundreds of roads across the region are closed, with several bridges washed away, and four major interstate highways shut down in North Carolina and Tennessee.
In Georgia, the city of Valdosta suffered significant damage, with roofs torn off buildings and intersections blocked by fallen utility poles and trees. Local resident Steven Mauro described the chaos, saying, “The wind started really hitting… and then we were looking out, and everything went black.”
Trump plans to visit Valdosta on Monday for a disaster briefing, while Biden intends to travel to affected areas later this week, aiming to avoid disruptions to emergency response efforts. Harris expressed her commitment to support affected communities at a campaign rally in Las Vegas, stating, “We will stand with these communities for as long as it takes to make sure that they are able to recover and rebuild.” Biden is scheduled to address the post-storm response from the White House on Monday.