Sacramento: Authorities are struggling to deliver water and other essentials to isolated, flood-affected areas across the US Southeast following Hurricane Helene, as the death toll from the storm rose to nearly 100.
In a North Carolina county encompassing the mountain city of Asheville, 30 people have been reported dead due to the storm. Additional fatalities reported in North Carolina on Sunday have increased the total death toll to at least 91 people across several states.
Efforts are underway to airlift supplies to the region surrounding the cut-off city. Buncombe County Manager Avril Pinder has committed to delivering food and water to Asheville, renowned for its arts, culture, and natural beauty, by Monday.
“We hear you. We need food, and we need water,” Pinder stated during a Sunday press call. “My team has been submitting every possible request to the state for assistance, and we’ve been collaborating with every organization that has offered help. I assure you, we are very close.”
Officials have cautioned that the reconstruction following the extensive loss of homes and properties will be a long and challenging process. The storm has disrupted lives across the Southeast, with additional deaths reported in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper anticipates the death toll will increase as rescue teams access isolated areas. He urged western North Carolina residents to refrain from travelling to ensure their safety and keep roads open for emergency vehicles. Over 50 search teams are deployed across the region to locate stranded individuals.
A notable rescue operation north of Asheville saved 41 people, while another was dedicated to rescuing an infant. These individuals were located via 911 calls and social media, according to North Carolina National Guard Adjutant General Todd Hunt.
President Joe Biden, struck by the severity of the storm’s impact, plans to visit the affected area this week, provided it doesn’t interfere with ongoing rescue and recovery efforts.
Hurricane Helene made landfall late Thursday as a Category 4 hurricane in Florida’s Big Bend area, with winds reaching 140 mph (225 kph). The storm, although weakened, proceeded to drench Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee with heavy rains, leading to flooded waterways, overwhelmed dams, and extensive damage.
