Additional Coverage:
Hurricane Helene has become the deadliest storm in the US since Katrina, with over 180 confirmed deaths across six southeastern states.
North Carolina has suffered the most casualties, with devastating flooding, landslides, and debris. South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia have also reported fatalities.
As rescue efforts continue, the death toll is expected to rise, with up to 600 people still missing. President Biden visited North Carolina to meet with those affected, praising the bipartisan response.
The Blue Ridge Mountains were particularly hard hit, with at least 57 deaths in and around Asheville, a popular tourist destination. South Carolina has confirmed 39 deaths, including two firefighters killed when a tree fell on their truck.
In Tennessee, authorities are investigating a plastics factory where 11 workers were swept away by floodwaters. Only five were rescued, and two have been confirmed dead.
Thousands of federal personnel are assisting with the response, and hundreds of people remain unaccounted for. A Facebook group has emerged where people are searching for loved ones.
Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm before moving up the East Coast. It is the second deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland US since Katrina in 2005.
Scientists have concluded that climate change contributed to Helene’s intensity and rainfall, due to elevated ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico. Rising temperatures are causing more severe storms with increased storm surge and rainfall.