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As of Monday, more than 100 lives have been claimed by Hurricane Helene, a powerful Category 4 storm that ravaged the Southeastern United States late last week. The hardest-hit areas include North Carolina, where the mountain towns surrounding Asheville are facing unprecedented levels of destruction and isolation.
Local officials report at least 121 deaths across six states, with 35 fatalities in North Carolina alone. The full extent of the devastation is still coming into focus, as washed-out roads, mudslides, and widespread power outages have severed entire communities from the outside world. In Asheville and its surrounding areas, many are without basic supplies like fresh water and electricity.
Residents in these isolated regions are relying on makeshift solutions, such as collecting creek water to flush toilets, as aid groups struggle to reach them. Airlifts, trucks, and even mules are being deployed to deliver emergency food, water, and medical supplies to those trapped by collapsed infrastructure.
Rescue Efforts and Response
Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina has warned that the death toll is expected to rise as search and rescue teams access areas that have been cut off for days. Efforts are focused on reaching survivors in the hardest-hit areas, including Asheville, where key routes such as Interstate 40 have been blocked by mudslides.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials have mobilized dozens of rescue teams, while shelters across western North Carolina are housing more than 1,000 displaced residents. Asheville’s water system has also been severely damaged, and video footage shows debris floating in Lake Lure as overturned boats and docks litter the flooded area.
Despite the grim circumstances, many communities are banding together. In one Asheville neighborhood, where a wall of water ripped through homes and uprooted trees, residents have been sharing food and comforting one another. Some are making do with what little they have—one resident, Somerville Johnston, plans to cook a venison stew for her neighbors from the meat in her powerless freezer.
Widespread Destruction Across the Southeast
The storm has left a trail of destruction stretching from Florida’s Gulf Coast to the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia. Floodwaters swamped parts of Georgia and South Carolina, where at least 25 people were killed. In Augusta, Georgia, over 200,000 people are still without power, as state officials continue to assess the extensive damage.
Helene’s fury also struck Florida’s coast, submerging areas like Clearwater Marine Aquarium, where staff were forced to relocate endangered animals to safety. The storm is being compared to Hurricane Hugo, the devastating cyclone that struck South Carolina in 1989.
President Joe Biden addressed the nation on Monday, pledging federal assistance to the affected regions. “We will be with you for as long as it takes,” Biden said, noting that additional disaster relief funds are expected to be requested from Congress.
Recovery Efforts Underway
As emergency crews work to clear debris and restore essential services, the long road to recovery is becoming clear. In western North Carolina, volunteers are stepping up, with some even using mules to navigate impassable roads and deliver vital supplies to those in need.
Meteorologists attribute the severe flooding to the unique geography of the region, where Asheville and nearby towns lie in deep valleys that make them especially vulnerable to flash floods. Experts are also pointing to the effects of climate change, which is making storms like Helene more frequent and more destructive.
While Tropical Storm Kirk is forming off the coast, expected to grow into a powerful hurricane by midweek, those impacted by Helene are focused on one goal: surviving and rebuilding.
