The Latest: Helene’s Death Toll Rises To At Least 107 As Supplies Rushed To Isolated Communities
Sep 30, 2024
A crisis unfolded in Asheville, North Carolina, as officials pledged to get more water, food and other supplies to flood-stricken areas without power and cellular service Monday, days after Hurricane Helene ripped across the U.S. Southeast. The death toll from the storm approached 100.
At least 91 people across several states were killed. A North Carolina county that includes the mountain city of Asheville reported 30 people killed.
Another storm-related death reported in a North Carolina county
Authorities in the western North Carolina county of Macon are reporting a storm-related death as officials continue to assess the damage from the flooding over the weekend.
“Unfortunately there has been one fatality in Macon County that can be attributed to the storm,” the local sheriff’s said in a statement late Sunday night. “More information will be available at a later date.”
Macon County is southwest of Asheville and borders Georgia. The sheriff’s office statement says the county was experiencing poor cellular coverage, while crews were working to restore power in affected areas. Numerous calls have been coming in from people from outside of the area who want to check in on loved ones.
“Welfare checks will only be conducted that meet certain criteria and not all requests can be met,” the sheriff’s office said. “A significant part of Macon County was unaffected by the storm and the only issues there are lack of a reliable communication system.”
Biden says he hopes to visit Helene-impacted areas this week
President Joe Biden says he will visit Hurricane Helene-impacted areas this week as long as it does not disrupt rescue and recovery operations.
Biden was briefed again on Sunday evening about the impact of the devastating storm on an enormous swath of the Southeast. In a brief exchange with reporters, he described the impact of the storm as “stunning” and said that the administration is giving states “everything we have” to help with their response to the storm.
Biden planned to speak about the administration’s response efforts in remarks from the White House on Monday.