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    • The death toll rises amid rescue efforts
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    The death toll rises amid rescue efforts

    Eira Gwyneth Posted on

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    ASHEVILLE, N.C. — At least 90 people died Monday and more than 2 million homes and businesses remained dark across the Southeast. The region is under siege from historic flooding as a result of Hurricane Helene and its remnants.

    Hundreds of water rescues have been conducted across Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Virginia since Helene made a brutal landing on land in the Big Bend area of ​​Florida late Thursday.

    Atlanta received a total of more than 11 inches of rain in 48 hours, breaking a record that had stood for nearly 150 years. Western North Carolina was hit hardest by the devastating rains, with some areas recording more than 30 inches. Houses drifted away from neighborhoods, bridges collapsed, semi-trucks were thrown into mangled heaps. Mud, branches and food from local grocery stores spilled onto the streets.

    Here in Buncombe County alone, the confirmed death toll has risen to 30 and is expected to continue to rise, the sheriff said late Sunday. Officials received around 600 missing person reports.

    “We are still conducting searches and we know that may include recovery operations,” said Sheriff Quentin Miller. “We are heartbroken by this news and we ask people to give our community the space and time to grieve this incredible loss.”

    In neighboring Henderson County, emergency management officials reported five people dead as a result of the storm.

    Gov. Roy Cooper activated more than 500 National Guard soldiers and airmen. More than 200 vehicles and aircraft, including lifting and emergency response aircraft as well as flood response vehicles, worked feverishly to save lives.

    “Although the rain and winds have eased, the challenge for the people there continues to grow,” Cooper said. “People are desperate for help and we are pushing to get it to them.”

    “Biblical Desolation”: Helene leaves a trail of destruction behind

    Developments:

    ∎ AccuWeather put its preliminary estimate of total damage and economic loss at $95 billion to $110 billion. The weather service said Helene is expected to be one of the costliest storms in U.S. history due to its overwhelming storm surge, winds and flooding.

    ∎ Vice President Kamala Harris will cut short her campaign trip and plan a visit to the storm-ravaged southeast, her office told Reuters. Former President Donald Trump, who said he would visit the region, criticized Harris for his campaign when the tragedy unfolded.

    ∎ Energy production in the Gulf recovered. Only 3% of crude oil and 1% of natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico remained idle after Hurricane Helene, the U.S. Office of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said late Sunday.

    Storm Tracker: National Hurricane Center Tracking Tropical Depression Joyce, 4 other systems

    People waited outside the emergency room at HCA Healthcare’s Mission Hospital in Asheville, checking on the conditions of admitted loved ones. Shawn Hensley, 47, of Black Mountain told the Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, that his 65-year-old mother had arrived at the hospital the previous evening because she had run out of oxygen. Hensley and his neighbors had to chainsaw a tree blocking his car so he could get out of his neighborhood.

    “It looks like Mother Nature just trampled on this little town,” Hensley said. “It’s just destruction everywhere you look.”

    President Joe Biden plans to visit areas devastated by Helene this week as soon as he can do so without disrupting emergency services, the White House said.

    “It’s tragic,” Biden told reporters on Sunday, promising recovery aid after declaring major disasters in Florida and North Carolina and emergencies for Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and Alabama. “You’ve seen the photos. It’s breathtaking.”

    Trump will visit Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday to assess the storm damage and “facilitate the distribution of relief supplies,” his campaign team said.

    The National Hurricane Center is tracking five systems in the Atlantic basin. The biggest concern for Florida and the U.S. is a disturbance in the Caribbean Sea that could develop into a tropical depression later this week as it follows a similar path to Major Hurricane Helene. Meteorologists are advising Gulf Coast residents to closely monitor the system. Another system, Tropical Depression 12, is expected to develop into a “large and powerful” system later this week, the hurricane center said. Current models show a curve north into the middle of the Atlantic, far from the US. Read more here.

    Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida

    As authorities assess Helene’s devastation across much of the country, rescuers and other emergency responders have been deployed to the hardest hit and isolated communities. Relief efforts and funds have also been created to help victims and survivors.

    Federal officials have advised against sending unsolicited donated goods or heading to disaster-hit areas. The Federal Emergency Management Agency noted that there are currently no requests for donations other than cash.

    Here are some organizations accepting donations to help those affected by the storm:

    • American Red Cross: Red Cross volunteers from Florida to Tennessee are helping communities by providing food, disaster relief, shelter and additional assistance. The organization accepts donations to fund relief efforts.
    • The Salvation Army: The organization has deployed teams to provide emergency assistance, food and long-term recovery services to survivors and rescue workers. To contribute to his efforts, visit the Hurricane Helene relief donation page here.
    • GoFundMe: GoFundMe has created a dedicated hub with verified fundraisers for people and communities affected by the storm’s devastation. The company also has its own Hurricane Relief Fund, which provides cash grants to those in need.
    • America: The nonprofit focuses on emergency medical assistance and has set up a fundraising page to help communities recover from Helene.
    • All hands and hearts: The volunteer-based organization helps with short-term and long-term disaster response efforts and has established a Helene Fund to assist with its 12-month response.

    Contributors: Jacob Biba, Will Hofmann and Iris Seaton, Asheville Citizen Times; Reuters

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    Eira Gwyneth
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