By Jacey Fortin
Rescue teams navigated washed-out roadways and mud-filled gullies on Monday to provide food, water, and emergency essentials throughout the southern Appalachian mountains. Authorities stated that countless residents are still unaccounted for in the isolated areas affected by Hurricane Helene.
President Joe Biden assured long-term support and announced plans to visit the disaster-stricken area, potentially later this week, as the storm’s death toll increased to at least 111 across six states, with nearly a third of the fatalities occurring in the county around Asheville, North Carolina.
“There are indications that around 600 individuals are missing because they cannot be reached,” Biden remarked from the White House. “We hope and pray they are safe.”
Although the hurricane made landfall in northwestern Florida as a vigorous Category 4 storm with winds reaching 140 mph, its devastation extended far and wide. Intense winds and sudden flooding have ravaged areas far from the coastline.
In western North Carolina — where Governor Roy Cooper indicated a likelihood of rising fatalities — and eastern Tennessee, the damage has been particularly severe. Floodwaters and landslides have obliterated neighborhoods and small towns, while Asheville’s clean water supply system sustained significant damage.
Officials have been striving to deliver potable water to the city, which is home to approximately 94,000 residents, as reported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Monday. However, challenges like lack of cell service, widespread power outages, and obstructed roadways have left officials uncertain about the severity of destruction in many remote locations.
Power and communication disruptions have been extensive throughout the Southern states. Over 2 million customers remained without electricity by mid-Monday, extending from Florida to Ohio, with the highest numbers reported in South Carolina, according to poweroutage.us.
FEMA reported that by Monday morning, over 100 roads had been cleared in North Carolina; however, nearly 300 remained inaccessible, along with more than 100 each in South Carolina and Georgia.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp informed reporters on Monday that Helene “did not spare anyone” as it swept through the state. The death toll there had reached at least 25 individuals, he noted.
Power outages in the state were notably concentrated around Augusta, a city of roughly 200,000 residents, with the majority still lacking electricity by Monday.
At least 100 individuals were reported missing in Tennessee, stated Patrick C. Sheehan, director of Tennessee’s emergency management agency, during a press briefing on Monday. He anticipated this number to increase. Additionally, he mentioned that at least 11,000 households were without power, and drinking water remained scarce in numerous locations.
“Recovering from this scale of flooding is a lengthy and arduous journey,” Sheehan emphasized, “particularly given the extent of the infrastructure damage we are witnessing.”
Personnel from the Tennessee National Guard had rescued over 100 individuals by Monday afternoon, delivering more than 34,000 pounds of drinking water, food, generators, and various supplies.
Biden confirmed he would travel to the affected region as soon as he could do so without detracting from ongoing relief operations. He reiterated to reporters at the White House that federal emergency staff would remain in the area “until the task is completed,” describing Helene as a “historical” storm.
Former President Donald Trump visited Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday, briefly addressing supporters and the media. He expressed gratitude to local officials and emergency responders for their efforts. “We are here today to show our unwavering support for the people of Georgia and all those enduring the severe repercussions of Hurricane Helene,” he stated.
According to FEMA, nearly 3,000 individuals were sheltered in 78 locations across five states on Monday morning. To date, over 6,300 rescue and aid personnel from FEMA, the National Guard, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Federal Communications Commission, among others, have been mobilized.
Biden mentioned that he had authorized emergency declarations for Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, and Alabama, alongside disaster declarations for North Carolina, Florida, and South Carolina.
“These communities are in ruins,” the president remarked. “Families are left uncertain about the safety of their loved ones, unable to reach them due to lost cell service. Many more individuals are displaced, with no clear timeline for when they might return home, if there is a home to which to return.”
