The Southeast is facing significant devastation following Hurricane Helene, which made landfall on Thursday as a record-breaking hurricane in Florida’s Big Bend region. The storm has resulted in at least 95 fatalities across six states, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, and Tennessee. North Carolina has reported the highest number of deaths, with at least 36 confirmed.
**Key Updates:**
– **Casualties and Missing Persons:** Communication outages have complicated rescue efforts, with around 600 missing persons reports filed in North Carolina alone. Former FEMA administrator Craig Fugate urged families to remain hopeful about reunions once communication systems are restored.
– **Infrastructure Damage:** Flooding has rendered hundreds of roads impassable, hampering the delivery of essential supplies. In North Carolina, about 300 roads are closed, making it challenging to reach communities in need.
– **Power Outages:** Approximately 2.1 million customers are without power across the affected states. Utility companies are prioritizing infrastructure repairs to facilitate power restoration.
– **Government Response:** President Biden has been briefed on recovery efforts and plans to visit affected areas soon. He has also approved federal disaster declarations for several states, including North Carolina and Florida.
– **Ongoing Challenges:** Local officials face obstacles in delivering aid due to severe flooding and damaged infrastructure. Many residents are stranded and in urgent need of supplies like water, food, and power.
The aftermath of Hurricane Helene has left communities devastated, with ongoing rescue and recovery efforts aimed at providing support to those affected. Residents continue to grapple with the immediate impacts of the storm, while officials work to restore essential services and deliver much-needed assistance.