By Reuters
FLAT ROCK, North Carolina, Sept 29 (Reuters) – The Southeastern U.S. began a huge cleanup and recovery effort on Sunday and the death toll climbed towards 100 after Hurricane Helene knocked out power for millions, destroyed roads and bridges and caused dramatic flooding from Florida to Virginia.
The storm’s winds, rain and storm surge killed at least 90 people in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Virginia, according to a Reuters tally of state and local officials.
Officials feared more bodies would be discovered.
With cellphone towers down across the region, hundreds of people had yet to make contact with loved ones and were listed as unaccounted for.
Damage estimates ranged from $15 billion to more than $100 billion, insurers and forecasters said over the weekend, as water systems, communications and critical transportation routes were affected.
Property damage and lost economic output will become clearer as officials assess the destruction.
In North Carolina, nearly all the deaths were in Buncombe County, where 30 people died, Sheriff Quentin Miller told a video conference call with reporters.
County Manager Avril Pinder said she was asking the state for emergency food and drinking water. Streets in the picturesque city of Asheville were submerged in floodwater.
“This is a devastating catastrophe of historic proportions,” Governor Roy Cooper told CNN. “People that I talk to in western North Carolina say they have never seen anything like this.”
Cleanup and recovery efforts under way from Florida to Virginia
Damage estimated from $15 billion to over $100 billion
Biden to visit affected areas this week
FLAT ROCK, North Carolina, Sept 29 (Reuters) – The Southeastern U.S. began a huge cleanup and recovery effort on Sunday and the death toll climbed towards 100 after Hurricane Helene knocked out power for millions, destroyed roads and bridges and caused dramatic flooding from Florida to Virginia.
The storm’s winds, rain and storm surge killed at least 90 people in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Virginia, according to a Reuters tally of state and local officials.
Officials feared more bodies would be discovered.
With cellphone towers down across the region, hundreds of people had yet to make contact with loved ones and were listed as unaccounted for.
Damage estimates ranged from $15 billion to more than $100 billion, insurers and forecasters said over the weekend, as water systems, communications and critical transportation routes were affected.
Property damage and lost economic output will become clearer as officials assess the destruction.
In North Carolina, nearly all the deaths were in Buncombe County, where 30 people died, Sheriff Quentin Miller told a video conference call with reporters.
County Manager Avril Pinder said she was asking the state for emergency food and drinking water. Streets in the picturesque city of Asheville were submerged in floodwater.
“This is a devastating catastrophe of historic proportions,” Governor Roy Cooper told CNN. “People that I talk to in western North Carolina say they have never seen anything like this.”
