Reports from FEMA and state emergency management agencies

Hurricane Helene: Second Deadliest Since Katrina, Death Toll Exceeds 200 as Biden and Harris Tour Devastated Areas

Oct 3, 2024, 02:51 PM

Hurricane Helene has become the deadliest storm to hit the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Katrina, with a death toll now exceeding 200. The hurricane, which made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm, has caused widespread devastation across six states, particularly affecting North Carolina, where over 100 fatalities have been reported, including 61 in Buncombe County. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been touring the hardest-hit areas, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, to assess the damage and oversee federal response efforts. Biden has promised long-term federal support for recovery and rebuilding, estimating a multi-billion-dollar effort. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, with hundreds of people still missing. The storm has also left over a million people without power and caused significant flooding and infrastructure damage. Over 6,300 National Guard troops have been deployed to assist in the relief efforts. Helene is now the second deadliest hurricane to strike the U.S. mainland in the past 50 years.