At least 88 people are believed to have been killed in the wake of Hurricane Helene, as authorities across the southeast of the US struggle to get isolated areas critical supplies.
Days after the Category 4 hurricane struck the coast of Florida, many areas remain flooded, with blocked roads, failing infrastructure and more than two million still without electricity, Sky News’ US partner network NBC reported.
One of the worst affected states is North Carolina, where a third of the deaths caused by the hurricane were reported in the state’s Buncombe County, according to NBC.
Deaths have also been reported in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia.
In the mountain city of Asheville, North Carolina, 30 people are reported to have died. State governor Roy Cooper predicted the figure would rise as more than 50 search teams spread throughout the region in search of stranded people.
Pic: Reuters
Supplies were also being airlifted to the region, with county manager Avril Pinder pledging she would have food and water into Ashville – which is known for its arts, culture and natural attractions – by Monday. Elsewhere in the city, residents waited in line for $15 worth of gas.
One resident told NBC the last natural disaster she experienced in the city was a snow blizzard in the ’90s, but added: “It wasn’t as bad as this though… this is a disaster.”
Free meals were also offered in three states: Florida, North Carolina and Georgia by the charity the World Central Kitchen to help communities impacted by Helene.
President Joe Biden described the storm’s impact as “stunning” and said in a post on X that he would make a trip to the area this week, as long as it does not disrupt rescues or recovery work.
He approved a disaster declaration for North Carolina, making federal funding available for affected individuals.
Swannanoa in North Carolina covered in mud. Pic: Reuters
Pic: Reuters
Vice president and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris also plans to visit areas impacted by the hurricane, a White House official said.
Donald Trump’s campaign announced he will go to Valdosta, Georgia, to survey the impact Helene has had on the state – which is one of several hotly contested battlegrounds that will be pivotal in November’s election.
Damage caused by Helene is estimated to be between $15bn (£11.2bn) and more than $100bn (£74bn), insurers and forecasters said over the weekend, as water systems, communications and critical transportation routes were affected.
Debris lies where homes were destroyed in Keaton Beach, Florida. Pic: Reuters
An emotional resident in Florida. Pic: Reuters
In Horseshoe Beach, on Florida’s Gulf Coast, resident Charlene Huggins said she had lost a lot of memories as she looked through the debris of her destroyed home.
“Five generations lived in this house, from my grandmother, my father, myself, my daughter, son and my granddaughter,” she said, holding a chipped glass cake stand. “So there’s a lot of memories here. It just breaks your heart.”
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The storm slammed into the area known as the Big Bend on Thursday, bringing with it 140mph winds, and in some places a storm surge – a wall of seawater pushed ashore by winds – as high as 15ft (4.5m).
It has now been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, the National Hurricane Centre said, but several flood and flash flood warnings remained in effect in parts of the southern and central Appalachians.
High wind warnings also covered parts of Tennessee and Ohio.