Search and rescue operations were back in full swing on Tuesday in North Carolina as efforts were intensified to reach out to hundreds of individuals stranded in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The state grappled with washed-out roads and damaged communication infrastructure, leaving many isolated and in urgent need of assistance.
Devastatingly, the hurricane claimed the lives of over 100 people across several states including North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia. Officials fear that the death toll could further rise as rescue teams attempt to access secluded towns and communication networks gradually come back online.
In the mountainous regions surrounding Asheville, North Carolina, tragedy struck when David Carver, 58, lost his life while attempting to protect his home in Linville Falls. Amid heavy rainfall, a mudslide engulfed a portion of his house as he worked to divert water, tragically causing his demise. Carver's longtime friend and neighbor, Ken Fisher, 60, made a valiant effort to rescue him, spending eleven arduous hours by his side until emergency responders managed to extricate Carver from the drainage pipe in which he was trapped. Despite their efforts, Carver succumbed to internal injuries in the hospital early Saturday morning.
The state of North Carolina mobilized 92 search and rescue teams from 20 states across the country, along with federal support, under the direction of Governor Roy Cooper. The focus of these operations remained on the Appalachian Mountains in the western part of the state, where the hurricane wreaked havoc by destroying roads, uprooting trees, and demolishing homes.
Governor Cooper confirmed that substantial relief efforts, including the delivery of one million liters of water, 600,000 meals, and numerous essential supplies airlifted by pallets, were underway. The gravity of the situation was underscored by the closure of approximately 300 roads and over 7,000 individuals registering for aid from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Hurricane Helene, which made landfall as a destructive hurricane along the Florida Gulf coast, inflicted widespread damage across several southeastern states. As of Tuesday morning, more than 1.7 million residences and businesses remained without power in six states, spanning from Florida to West Virginia. Notably, South Carolina and Georgia bore the brunt of the outages, with hundreds of thousands still grappling with the aftermath.
Tragic loss of life was reported in Georgia and South Carolina, where Governor Brian Kemp confirmed 25 and 29 fatalities, respectively. The national death toll climbed to 128, as per CNN's report, with North Carolina bearing a significant share of the casualties at 56. The search for hundreds of missing individuals gained momentum with the gradual resumption of communication services and the penetration of relief teams into remote areas.
In Buncombe County, North Carolina, which encompasses the popular tourist spot of Asheville, the death toll rose to 40, as per county officials' statement. John Templeton, a resident who evacuated with his family from Fairview amid the chaos, remarked on the severity of the situation. Having endured previous natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Katrina, Templeton expressed that the current scenario surpassed all prior experiences in terms of devastation and suffering.
As the nation grappled with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, President Joe Biden announced his visit to North Carolina on Wednesday, with plans to tour Georgia and Florida promptly thereafter. Additionally, the President hinted at convening a special session of Congress to expedite the passage of supplementary aid funding in the wake of the widespread destruction caused by the hurricane.