Millions Without Power After Hurricane Helene’s Destructive Path \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ The remnants of Hurricane Helene have dissipated, but millions in the U.S. Southeast remain without power while record-breaking flooding continues, especially in southern Appalachia. The storm, blamed for at least 52 deaths across five states, brought widespread devastation to Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee. Rescue operations are ongoing, with Western North Carolina particularly hard-hit and hundreds of residents still stranded.
Hurricane Helene Devastation: Quick Looks
- Millions Without Power: Over 800,000 customers in Georgia and thousands across the Southeast are still without power as utility companies work to assess and repair extensive damage to infrastructure.
- Rising Death Toll: The storm has killed at least 52 people across five states, including 23 in South Carolina, 11 in Florida, and several unconfirmed deaths in North Carolina’s Buncombe County, where communication outages persist.
- Rescue Missions in Appalachia: Rescuers, including airlifts by helicopter, continue to help residents stranded in Western North Carolina, particularly in the Lake Lure area, after severe flooding blocked roads and overwhelmed communities.
- Florida’s Fatalities: Ten of the eleven Florida fatalities occurred in the Tampa Bay area, all in evacuation zones. One additional death resulted from a fallen tree in Dixie County.
- Emotional Pleas and Tragic Losses: In Asheville, NC, a woman’s urgent online plea for help was too late to save her parents and nephew from rising floodwaters, resulting in their tragic drowning.
- Communities Come Together: In Grovetown, GA, with power out and food thawing, locals organized a community cookout to feed residents and workers—showing resilience amidst the crisis.
- Presidential Support: President Joe Biden expressed deep sadness over Helene’s devastation, emphasizing federal support to assist with long-term recovery efforts in the affected states.
- Western North Carolina Cut Off: Massive flooding and landslides have left Western North Carolina, including Asheville, isolated with all major roads shut down, leaving many residents without power, water, or cell service.
Deep Look:
The remnants of Hurricane Helene finally dissipated on Saturday, yet millions of people across the Southeastern United States remain without power, and officials warn that record-breaking river flooding is ongoing in parts of southern Appalachia. This storm has inflicted widespread destruction, resulting in at least 52 deaths across five states, and authorities continue to assess the full scope of the devastation.
A Storm That Devastated the Southeast
Hurricane Helene, which made landfall late Thursday as a Category 4 storm, wreaked havoc across the region, including Florida’s Big Bend, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee. With wind speeds topping 140 mph (225 kph), the storm uprooted trees, splintered homes, and flooded rivers, pushing them beyond their banks and causing significant strain on dams. By the time it dissipated, the storm had left a trail of devastation across five states.
In Florida, Helene hit hardest in the Tampa Bay area, where ten of the eleven confirmed deaths occurred in mandatory evacuation zones. Nine victims drowned inside their homes, highlighting the tragedy that can occur when residents choose to stay behind despite evacuation orders. In Dixie County, a person died when a tree crashed onto a house. The other victim in Florida was killed by a falling sign in Tampa’s Ybor City neighborhood.
Georgia, too, has faced significant damage, particularly on the east side of the state. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp described the aerial view of the destruction as looking like “a tornado went off.” Power remains a critical issue, with Georgia Power Co. stating that over 525,000 customers still lack electricity, and estimates for restoration remain unclear due to the “extensive damage” inflicted by Helene.
Tragedies Amidst Floodwaters
Western North Carolina has faced unprecedented flooding, with many areas left essentially cut off due to washed-out roads, landslides, and submerged neighborhoods. Asheville and the surrounding Buncombe County were particularly hard-hit. Due to communication outages, officials have struggled to announce the full extent of the casualties. In a tragic incident, a woman from Texas posted an urgent plea on social media, seeking help for her family members stranded on a rooftop in Asheville. The post, which gained significant attention, tragically ended with news that her elderly parents and young nephew drowned after their roof collapsed. Friends of the family described the heartbreak, highlighting the helplessness of the situation as rescue efforts were delayed by the storm’s severity.
In the Lake Lure and Chimney Rock Village areas, roughly 30 miles southeast of Asheville, helicopters have been employed to airlift stranded residents to safety. County officials pledged to inform families and loved ones as they receive more information on those who have been rescued. Across Buncombe County, the cascade of emergencies included severe rain, high winds, and mudslides, which combined to leave major highways like Interstate 40 and I-26 impassable.
Adding to the destruction, Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller said, “To say this caught us off-guard would be an understatement.” Emergency Services Director Van Taylor Jones confirmed fatalities but held off on specifics, noting the challenges with contacting next of kin amid significant communication outages.
A Community Effort to Cope
Despite the grim reality, examples of community resilience have shone through. In Grovetown, Georgia—a suburb of Augusta—residents came together for a community cookout at the city garage, cooking thawing meat to feed neighbors and utility workers. Grovetown remains largely without power, with more than 99% of customers in Columbia County still in the dark. The communal gathering provided both practical support and a morale boost as residents banded together in the wake of Helene’s destruction.
In Tennessee, a harrowing rescue operation unfolded in Unicoi County, where dozens of patients and medical staff were evacuated from the roof of Unicoi County Hospital by helicopter. Floodwaters from the Nolichucky River rose rapidly, surrounding the facility. After several rescue helicopters were thwarted by high winds, a Virginia State Police helicopter and three National Guard helicopters successfully hoisted the 54 stranded individuals to safety, a process that took over four hours.
Presidential Assistance and Recovery
In Washington, President Joe Biden expressed his deep sorrow over the loss of life and damage caused by Hurricane Helene. He pledged unwavering federal support for those affected, emphasizing, “The road to recovery will be long, but know that my Administration will be with you every step of the way. We’re not going to walk away. We’re not going to give up.” The President approved emergency declarations for Tennessee on Saturday, adding to previous declarations for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. These authorizations allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist with critical emergency response measures.
Biden also commented on the broader devastation, calling it “overwhelming.” He reaffirmed that the federal government had been active in supporting the affected areas even before the storm made landfall. “And we’ll be on the ground with them helping them recover long after this storm has passed,” Biden added.
A Region Severely Impacted
Helene also pummeled Florida’s Big Bend region, particularly affecting Taylor County, which has now been hit by three hurricanes in just over a year. In Steinhatchee, a small fishing community beloved for its old Florida charm, residents are grappling with the destruction of long-standing local establishments, including the cherished Roy’s restaurant, now reduced to rubble. John Berg, a 76-year-old resident, lamented the repeated hits, saying, “It’s bringing everybody to reality about what this is now with disasters.”
In addition to immediate relief efforts, authorities are working to ensure basic needs are met. In Perry, Florida, which remains almost entirely without power, vehicles began lining up as early as dawn on Saturday at a free food distribution site. Families in line said they had lost everything in their refrigerators and were seeking sustenance as the storm’s impact continued to be felt.
Sierra Land, who came to the food distribution with her young children and grandmother, described the challenges they faced. “We’re making it one day at a time,” she said. Her grandfather, who suffers from dementia and COPD, has been struggling without electricity to run his oxygen machine. With no television to serve as a familiar focal point, the family has tried to keep his spirits up amid the uncertainty.
Looking Forward
The road to recovery for communities across the Southeast is sure to be long and arduous. As of Saturday, more than 800,000 customers across Georgia remained without power, while Duke Energy customers in Western North Carolina faced similar outages. The storm’s impact has been widespread, and residents will need substantial support in the coming days, weeks, and months to rebuild what was lost.
Hurricane Helene may have dissipated, but its legacy of destruction will be felt for years to come, as families mourn their lost loved ones, communities rebuild, and officials assess and repair the extensive damage. Amid all this, resilience remains a recurring theme. Communities have come together to help each other, and the promise of federal aid provides a glimmer of hope for a region battered by nature’s fury.
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