Hurricane Helene death toll nears 100 across southeast, rescue efforts intensify
Nearly 100 people have died across multiple states as Hurricane Helene left a trail of destruction throughout the Southeast.
As of Monday, crews are working to clear debris, restore power, and deliver food and water to stranded residents.
When did Helene arrive?
A motorist passes around downed trees on the road in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on September 29, 2024 in Fletcher, North Carolina. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
The Category 4 hurricane made landfall along Florida’s Big Bend region late Thursday night, with winds of 140 mph and a devastating storm surge that lashed the area and left widespread destruction from the Sunshine State through Georgia into the Carolinas and Tennessee Valley as the storm traveled across the U.S.
Effects of Hurricane Helene
Downed trees on a home in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on September 29, 2024 in Rutherfordton, North Carolina. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
Millions of people were plunged into darkness as the hurricane’s effects brought down trees and utility lines and destroyed homes, businesses and infrastructure.
As of Monday, those outage numbers dropped to 2.1 million – a sign that the nonstop work of utility crews was paying off.
And while power is slowly being restored, that's only one of the obstacles first responders and residents are facing as those recovery operations after the disaster continue.
Death toll rises in North Carolina
Motorists pass under downed trees hanging on utility cables in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on September 29, 2024 in Fletcher, North Carolina. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
Dozens of people have been killed in North Carolina and hundreds remain unaccounted for due to lack of communication access in western parts of the state that were hit hard by Helene's effects.
"This unprecedented storm dropped 10 to 29 inches of rain across the mountains, causing life-threatening floods and landslides," North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said on Sunday.
Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller announced additional deaths from Helene's flooding over the weekend and said the death toll may continue to rise.
At least 38 people have died in North Carolina from storm-related impacts, according to state and local officials.
President Joe Biden approved a Major Disaster Declaration for North Carolina on Saturday, and more than 800 FEMA staff, along with distribution centers and equipment, have been deployed across the states affected by Helene.
Flooding has cut off access to supplies for parts of North Carolina. Fuel, food, and water are in short supply, causing tensions to run high in Buncombe County. Local media report arguments breaking out at gas stations and lines "miles long" for fuel.
When asked about the delay in supplies and tensions at open gas stations, the Buncombe County sheriff said supplies are delayed because many roads have been destroyed. The Sheriff’s Office is considering posting deputies at gas stations.
Storm surge causes catastrophic damage along Florida's Gulf Coast
In this aerial view, people fill sandbags at Helen Howarth Park ahead of the possible arrival of Hurricane Helene on September 25, 2024 in Pinellas Park, Florida. Currently, Tropical Storm Helene is forecast to become a major hurricane, bringing the
The storm surge caused by Hurricane Helene led to catastrophic damage along Florida's Gulf Coast, with the Big Bend region seeing the highest inundation exceeding 15 feet, while cities like Tampa and Clearwater Beach saw their highest storm surge level in decades.
The small barrier island of Treasure Island was particularly devastated, with widespread flooding and property damage. Four people died on the barrier island because of Helene's impacts, according to Treasure Island police.
Residents of Florida's Keaton Beach also experienced Helene's effects, and they are still picking up the pieces.
"Seen a lot of bad storms on this river and seen people recover from a lot," Steven Hatchett told FOX Weather's Robert Ray. "But I've never seen anything this magnitude - not even the (1993) Storm of the Century or any of the hurricanes."
Hatchett said buildings that had been there his whole life were gone.
FOX Weather contributed to this report.