The death toll from Hurricane Helen, which has wreaked havoc across parts of the eastern and southeastern US since Thursday, grew even heavier on Sunday, with at least 91 dead, according to authorities, who are continuing to search for victims.
In North Carolina, the hardest-hit state, the death toll now stands at 37 — up from 10 previously reported — 30 of whom died in just one county, Buncombe.
At least 25 others were missing in South Carolina, 17 in Georgia, 11 in Florida and 1 in Virginia, according to an AFP tally based on reports from local authorities.
Hurricane Helen made landfall in northwest Florida on Thursday night as a Category 4 on the five-point Saffir-Simpson scale with sustained winds of up to 225 miles per hour.
It then moved northward, gradually weakening, but leaving a landscape of destruction in its path.
"I am deeply saddened by the loss of life and the destruction caused by Hurricane Helen," US President Joe Biden said yesterday Saturday, noting that the road to recovering the affected areas "will be long."
Yesterday Sunday, his services at the White House announced that he will go to the affected areas within the week.
Material damage is also very heavy. "Infrastructure suffered major damage," including "water networks, communications, roads," while many homes were "destroyed," Diane Criswell, the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), summarized on CBS yesterday, stressing that the searches for victims continue.
In North Carolina, some areas remain impassable and access is only possible by helicopter, Gov. Roy Cooper said.
Four highways have been closed between North Carolina and Tennessee due to bridge damage, said Christine White of the Department of Transportation.
Nearly 2,5 million households are without power, according to the specialized website poweroutage.us, while the American Red Cross said it offered assistance to thousands of people.
As the storm approached, which had since been downgraded, federal states of emergency were declared in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, and some 800 FEMA personnel were deployed.
A flood warning remains in effect for parts of western North Carolina as levees are at risk of breaching, according to National Weather Service (NWS) Director Ken Graham.
Efforts continue to restore electricity and deal with the consequences of the massive floods that destroyed houses, roads, and shops. But the work of the crews is made difficult by the blocked roads.
On Cedar Key, an island of about 700 people on Florida's west coast, roofs were torn off houses and walls were torn apart. “It breaks my heart to see this. Homes were lost, the market was lost, the post office was lost. It's a real tragedy and it's going to be difficult to rebuild," said Gabe Doty, a township worker.
In South Carolina, two firefighters were among the dead.
Pelorian areas were devastated by landslides and floods, as far away as Asheville, North Carolina.
"This is one of the worst storms in modern history for parts of North Carolina," Governor Cooper said during a press conference Friday night.
The danger of breaking the Nolatsaki dam, in Tennessee, was ruled out yesterday Saturday by the authorities, after record floods. Residents were given permission to return to their homes.
In Erwin, in the same state, more than 50 patients and workers took refuge on the roof of a hospital, from where they had to be removed by helicopters.
After forming in the Gulf of Mexico, the phenomenon passed over extremely warm waters.
"It's possible that these very warm waters played a role in the rapid strengthening of (Hyclone) Helen," climatologist Andra Garner said.
By warming ocean waters, climate change makes it more likely for storms to intensify rapidly and for powerful cyclones or hurricanes to form, scientists say.
Source: protothema.gr
