Hurricane Helene is now the second deadliest storm to strike the US mainland in over 50 years.
Washington, D.C. — More than 200 people have been confirmed dead in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which tore through several southeastern states in the United States.
The hurricane is now considered the deadliest to hit the US mainland since 2005’s Hurricane Katrina, which claimed 1,392 lives.
According to an AFP compilation of official figures, 201 fatalities have been reported across North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia. Over half of these deaths occurred in North Carolina, which was severely affected by flooding.
Hurricane Helene is now the second deadliest storm to strike the US mainland in over 50 years. Despite rescue efforts spanning six states, and the deployment of more than 10,000 federal personnel to assist local responders, officials warn that the death toll could rise further as many residents remain unaccounted for in remote and isolated areas.
In Buncombe County, North Carolina—the epicenter of the disaster—over 60 people have been confirmed dead. Local authorities report that some residents remain cut off from the outside world due to landslides and destroyed bridges.
“We are continuing to find survivors,” stated Buncombe County officials in their latest update. “There are still residents who are isolated due to the catastrophic damage.”
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, in a briefing on the storm’s aftermath in his state, announced that the number of confirmed dead in Georgia has risen to 33. “Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to the families who have experienced this heartbreak and tragedy,” he said.
President Joe Biden has been actively visiting affected areas for two consecutive days. On Thursday, he traveled to Florida, where Hurricane Helene made landfall last week as a powerful Category 4 storm with wind speeds reaching 140 miles (225 kilometers) per hour. The President took an aerial tour of the northern Gulf shore, observing the widespread destruction, and later walked through devastated neighborhoods in Keaton Beach, near the storm’s point of impact.
Efforts to assess the full scope of the damage and assist survivors continue as search and rescue operations remain ongoing in several hard-hit areas.
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