Death toll at 93 in aftermath of Hurricane Helene

HOUSTON, US (AA) – The death toll stood at 93 Sunday night in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which tore a path of destruction through the southeastern US, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Coast.

That number could climb higher in the coming days, as hundreds of missing persons reports have been filed in communities hit by the massive flooding caused by Helene.

The hurricane made landfall as a Category 4 storm in Florida late Thursday.

In the state of North Carolina, 600 missing persons reports were filed in Buncombe County alone, according to county officials, and flooded roadways continue to hinder rescue efforts to save residents stranded in their homes.

Communications being cut off and loved ones being unreachable “doesn’t necessarily mean the worst has happened,” former FEMA administrator Craig Fugate said in an interview with CNN.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is encouraging people not to lose hope, as rescue crews are working around the clock to try and reunite families. FEMA’s priority is to try to restore cell phone service in the region, with officials activating disaster roaming for all telecommunication networks.

“Although we know we have lost lives, we generally see more people that are missing or unaccounted for because of communication,” added Fugate.

The 93 deaths accounted for so far stretch across the six states Helene carved its destructive path through: Florida (11), Georgia (17), South Carolina (25), North Carolina (36), Virginia (2) and Tennessee (2), according to CNN.

Nearly 2.2 million residents are without power in the region as crews work vigilantly to restore electricity from downed power lines caused by Helene’s powerful winds, which ranged from 45 miles (72 kilometers) per hour to 140 mph (225 kph). Because of the massive amounts of power outages, officials have said that restoring the power grid in some areas could take several weeks.

Flooding has shut down roadways in several states, with 300 roads underwater in North Carolina and 150 streets closed in South Carolina, according to the US Department of Transportation. Those closures have impeded not only rescue efforts but the delivery of clean water and medical supplies to residents stranded in their neighborhoods.

“The priority is getting people out…and getting supplies in,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper told Spectrum News. “Everything is flooded.”

President Joe Biden is expected to tour the disaster areas this week and has already approved aid for states requesting emergency declarations for cleanup and recovery.