Widespread destruction from Hurricane Helene became evident on Monday, as the extent of the damage throughout the South emerged. The storm left behind a landscape of shattered homes, destroyed cargo containers, and flooded highways, marking it as one of the most devastating storms in U.S. history, with the death toll surpassing 130.
Western North Carolina Faces a Crisis
A major crisis is developing in western North Carolina, where many residents are stranded due to washed-out roads, power outages, and lack of cellular service. People lined up for clean water and the opportunity to let loved ones know they were safe, days after the storm’s passage.
At least 133 lives were lost across six Southeastern states, as the hurricane inflicted damage from Florida’s Gulf Coast to Virginia’s Appalachian Mountains. The death toll continued to rise as emergency crews reached isolated areas cut off by damaged infrastructure and severe flooding.
During a briefing on Monday, White House Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall reported that as many as 600 individuals were still unaccounted for, suggesting that some might not have survived.
President Biden to Visit North Carolina
President Joe Biden is set to visit North Carolina on Wednesday to meet with local officials and assess the destruction in Asheville via an aerial tour. He has reiterated the federal government’s commitment to support the affected residents of the Southeast “for as long as it takes.”
Biden also put out an announcement to all those impacted by the hurricane and the emergency teams on the ground, trying to help people… “Take this seriously and please be safe.”
Efforts to deliver essential supplies are underway, with government officials and aid organizations utilizing air, truck, and even mule transport to reach Asheville and surrounding mountain towns, which were particularly hard hit. In Buncombe County, which includes Asheville, at least 40 people have died.
Overwhelming Scenes of Destruction
The devastation was visible everywhere—flattened cargo containers rested atop bridges, and a mass of debris, including capsized pontoon boats, splintered docks, and uprooted trees, covered the surface of Lake Lure, a scenic location in the mountains outside Asheville.
Many residents, desperate for communication, gathered on hillsides where cell service was available, sending out simple messages to family and friends: “I’m OK.”
Among the stories of tragedy were numerous cases of people trapped by rising waters in their homes or vehicles. A courthouse security officer drowned in his truck, while a family of three—two adults and a six-year-old boy—died when part of their house collapsed during rescue attempts.
However, there were also successful rescues. Dozens of people, including an infant and two others stranded atop a vehicle in Atlanta, were saved. In Tennessee, a daring helicopter mission evacuated over 50 hospital patients and staff members from a hospital rooftop.
Infrastructure Damage in Asheville
Several key routes into Asheville have been washed away or blocked by mudslides, including a 4-mile stretch of Interstate 40. Additionally, the city’s water supply system was severely compromised, leaving residents to collect creek water in buckets just to flush toilets.
Neighbors supported one another by sharing food and supplies. Sommerville Johnston, who has been without power since Friday, planned to cook a venison stew from her freezer before it spoiled, inviting her neighbors with, “Just bring your bowl and spoon.”
In another part of the city, a line stretched for more than a block at Mountain Valley Water, as residents queued to fill containers with clean water. Derek Farmer, who had brought three empty apple juice jugs, expressed his growing anxiety after three days without access to water: “I just didn’t know how bad it was going to be.”
Rebuilding Will Take Time
Officials cautioned that rebuilding efforts will be both lengthy and challenging. Helene made landfall in northern Florida last Thursday as a powerful Category 4 hurricane before sweeping through Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee, disrupting life across the Southeast. Fatalities were also reported in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reported that more than 1,000 people were currently staying in emergency shelters. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper took an aerial tour of the Asheville area on Monday before meeting with workers distributing meals to affected residents. He emphasized the scale of the response needed: “This has been an unprecedented storm that has hit western North Carolina. It’s requiring an unprecedented response.”
Emergency Efforts Underway Across the Region
Officials have urged travelers to avoid coming into the region to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles. More than 50 search teams have been deployed across the affected areas to rescue those still trapped.
Residents gathered in Asheville on higher ground in search of one of the most valuable resources—cell phone service. “Is this day three or day four?” asked Colleen Burnet, summing up the confusion and exhaustion many are feeling. “It’s all been a blur.”
The storm brought the worst flooding North Carolina has seen in a century, with some areas receiving more than 2 feet of rain since Wednesday. Federal rescue teams, along with nine more on their way, were on the ground, and supplies arrived via truck and cargo plane. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell joined Governor Cooper in assessing the damage on Monday.
Volunteers also began to assist. Mike Toberer used a dozen mules to deliver food, water, and diapers to the most difficult-to-reach areas, noting that each mule could carry up to 200 pounds of supplies.
Damage Along the Gulf Coast and Beyond
The storm’s impact stretched beyond North Carolina. In Florida, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium was flooded, forcing workers to relocate manatees and sea turtles. Fortunately, all the animals were reported safe, though much of the aquarium’s essential equipment was severely damaged.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said the hurricane had spared no one in its path, noting that many people in and around Augusta were still without power.
In South Carolina, the hurricane was the deadliest storm since Hurricane Hugo in 1989, with at least 30 fatalities reported.
Tropical Storm Kirk Forms
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Kirk formed in the eastern Atlantic on Monday and is expected to develop into a powerful hurricane by Tuesday night or Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm, currently around 800 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands, has sustained winds of 60 mph. At present, Kirk poses no threat to land.
