The death toll has gone up, as millions remain without power
Hurricane Helene has left at least 91 people dead in US’ North Carolina, according to the state’s Emergency Management Agency (EDMA). At least 600 people are still missing in Buncombe County alone, EDMA said. The hurricane struck on Friday night as a Category 4 storm, making it the most powerful to hit the state in over 30 years.
Flooding brings ‘catastrophic’ flooding as it crosses the southern Appalachians
The death toll from Hurricane Helene has risen to at least 52 in five states, including Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, media reports said. The storm made landfall in Florida on Thursday night as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph. Moody’s Analytics said it expects $15 billion- $26 billion in property damage from the hurricane.
There is flooding due to a weakened Helene crossing southern Appalachians
Hurricane Helene has caused “catastrophic flooding” in the southeastern US and southern Appalachians, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). “Life-threatening flooding and landslides in parts of southern US are expected to continue into tonight,” NHC said. Meanwhile, Helene weakened to a post-tropical cyclone on Friday evening but continued to unleash “catastrophic” flooding in southeastern US and southern Appalachians.