US Southeast Faces Daunting Cleanup from Helene; Death Toll Rises, Reports Reuters

By Rich McKay, Joseph Ax, and Andrew Hay

ATLANTA – Authorities throughout the southeastern United States faced a significant challenge on Saturday as they began the cleanup effort in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, one of the strongest and potentially costliest storms to impact the country. The death toll has risen to at least 47, with fears that more casualties may be discovered across multiple states.

Estimates of the damages from the storm range from $95 billion to $110 billion, positioning Helene as one of the costliest storms in modern U.S. history, according to Jonathan Porter, chief meteorologist at a major commercial forecasting company.

After being downgraded late Friday to a post-tropical cyclone, the remnants of Helene continued to bring heavy rainfall to various states, causing severe flooding that raised concerns of dam failures, which could inundate communities.

"The devastation from Hurricane Helene is staggering," President Joe Biden remarked on Saturday. "Jill and I are keeping those who lost loved ones in our thoughts, along with everyone affected by this storm."

By Saturday afternoon, over 3 million customers were still without power across five states, with authorities cautioning that full service restoration might take several days. The most significant outages occurred in South Carolina, where more than 1 million homes and businesses were affected, followed by Georgia, with approximately 750,000 without power.

Some of the hardest-hit regions experienced historic rainfall. Western North Carolina recorded nearly 30 inches of rain on Mount Mitchell in Yancey County, while Atlanta saw around 13 inches. In southern Georgia, farmers began assessing damage to their cotton and pecan crops, both crucial to the state’s economy during harvest season.

The storm, initially a powerful Category 4 hurricane packing 140 mph winds, struck Florida’s Big Bend region on Thursday night before moving through Georgia and up into Tennessee and the Carolinas. The storm left a path of destruction, characterized by overturned boats, fallen trees, flooded streets, and submerged vehicles.

Emergency response teams conducted thousands of water rescues in the affected areas. In an instance reported from Unicoi County, Tennessee, more than 50 individuals were rescued from a hospital roof after floodwaters engulfed the surrounding community.

The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings for a vast area in eastern Tennessee, advising approximately 100,000 residents to seek higher ground. Additionally, there were concerns over the Nolichucky Dam, which was reported to be at risk of failure.

In western North Carolina, authorities warned residents near the Lake Lure Dam of a potential breach, although officials stated that an imminent failure did not appear likely. Many in and around Chimney Rock described downtown flooding and infrastructure damage, with reports of mud and debris obstructing roads.

Highways were closed due to landslides, leaving mountain communities like Boone and Burnsville isolated. Rescue efforts included helicopter evacuations for those trapped due to washed-out roads.

As the extent of Hurricane Helene’s devastation became evident, residents began assessing the damage in Florida. A storm surge of 8 to 10 feet severely impacted coastal communities, moving mobile homes and leaving many areas flooded. Tampa reported numerous water rescues due to impassable roads.

In Florida, officials confirmed 11 fatalities related to the storm. Governor Ron DeSantis noted the extensive destruction, comparing it to the devastation from previous hurricanes.

Helene’s impact was felt across several states: Georgia reported 15 storm-related deaths, North Carolina accounted for two, and at least 19 fatalities were reported in South Carolina.

The mixed efforts of local and federal emergency services continue as recovery efforts ramp up in the wake of the storm.