Since landfall on Sept. 26, Hurricane Helene’s magnitude of destruction has escalated every day as search and rescue teams discover more deceased people, unaccounted pets and flooded neighborhoods throughout Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Only eight hurricanes have taken the lives of over 100 people since 1950. Hurricane Helene has been named one of the most deadly storms to make landfall in the modern era.
The Gulf Coast and the Southern Appalachians have since suffered unpredicted flooding, hundreds of fatalities and billions of dollars in property damage.
It has claimed the homes, neighborhoods, cars, buildings and the lives of thousands of U.S. citizens. It is estimated that over 230 people have died across six states and officials believe the death toll can rise as there are still hundreds of missing people. One-third of these deaths were reported in North Carolina, specifically Buncombe County.
Helene stirred up destruction off Tampa Bay for hours, destroying thousands of Floridian businesses, homes, and boats along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Approximately 79,965 homes are still without power in Florida.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the approval of a crucial disaster declaration from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which includes public and individual assistance.
Millions remain in unexpected isolation without power and gasoline. The area has suffered collapsed roads and mudslides, and Asheville’s water system has been severely damaged.
Through the catastrophic flooding and damage, the South Carolina Office of Resilience has various hurricane recovery resources including Crisis cleanup, SCOR disaster case management, volunteer clean-up services as well as a toll-free hotline.
FEMA has delivered 1 million liters of water and 600,000 meals to North Carolina. 92 search and rescue teams work daily to safely bring people out of the destruction.
Now, not even two weeks after Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton moves eastward over the Gulf of Mexico and prepares to make landfall in Tampa on Oct. 9 as a Category 5 hurricane. Many Floridians are in a state of panic over how much damage has been caused and the damage that has yet to come.
