USA: At Least 155 Dead Following Hurricane Helene’s Aftermath
Rescue operations are ongoing in the southeastern United States, several days after Hurricane Helene resulted in at least 155 fatalities. Many areas remain inaccessible by road, and as of Tuesday at 7:30 PM (11:30 PM GMT), over 1.4 million homes and businesses were still without electricity, according to the specialized website poweroutage.us.
“This storm has brought catastrophic devastation… of historic proportions,” stated North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper on Tuesday. His state, which was hit hardest by the hurricane, has reported at least 74 deaths. “Communities were wiped off the map,” the governor added during a press conference, indicating that authorities expect the death toll to rise further.
Liz Sherwood-Randall, an advisor to President Joe Biden on homeland security, mentioned on Monday that authorities had not yet heard from 600 individuals but expressed hope that some of them might still be “alive.”
President Biden plans to visit North Carolina on Wednesday, while Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate for the November 5 presidential election, will head to Georgia, where 25 deaths have been reported. Their visits coincide with discussions about the federal government’s response to the disaster, which has become a significant topic in the presidential campaign. Both Georgia and North Carolina are among seven critical states that could influence the election outcome.
In the southern Appalachian region, Helene has triggered flash flooding, causing extensive damage. Images from the Asheville area in North Carolina show neighborhoods flattened and roads destroyed by rising floodwaters. Due to access issues, authorities are delivering aid, water, and food supplies by air.
For Joe Biden, there is “no doubt” that these disasters are linked to climate change, which scientists say warms ocean waters, increasing the likelihood of rapid storm intensification and raising the risk of more powerful hurricanes.
