With many still unaccounted for, the devastation from Hurricane Helene continues to unfold by the hour.
David Artavia · Reporter
The aftermath of Hurricane Helene is still unfolding across the Southeastern U.S., where at least 91 people have been reported dead, according to the Associated Press, and roughly 2.4 million were without power as of Sunday afternoon.
The storm made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region on Thursday night as a Category 4 hurricane with winds reaching 140 mph. Now downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, Helene is still lingering over the Tennessee Valley, according to the National Hurricane Center.
In North Carolina, over 200 people have been rescued from floodwaters that washed away homes in several areas. Search teams are reportedly still trying to find over a thousand missing people in North Carolina and Tennessee. Meanwhile, about 1,100 residents are staying in emergency shelters in North Carolina as the state deals with widespread damage.
In response to the crisis, President Biden approved North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper’s request for a Federal Major Disaster Declaration on Sunday, enabling FEMA to provide vital aid to 25 North Carolina counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee.
Here’s a look at the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene — and what to expect in the days ahead.
Death toll in the dozens
As of Sunday evening, at least 91 people have been killed across five states — Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. According to the New York Times, the fatalities have reportedly been attributed to various causes, including flooding, falling trees and car accidents.
In Florida, where Helene initially made landfall, 11 people have been confirmed dead, per Reuters. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis described “complete obliteration” in parts of the state, with 90% of homes in communities like Keaton Beach on the west coast of Florida, still recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia in 2023, reportedly being washed away.
As of Sunday, 24 people have been confirmed dead in South Carolina — the most of any state so far as a result of the storm — prompting the state’s weather agency to call it “the worst event in our office’s history” in a Facebook post Saturday evening. Over 20 people, including children, died in Georgia as a result of Helene.
North Carolina has had 10 weather-related deaths as of Sunday, according to the New York Times, and over 1,000 people remain unaccounted for in Buncombe County alone. Over 70 people remain unaccounted for in east Tennessee, officials said in a news briefing Sunday morning, per NBC News.
Power outages by the numbers
As of 2:41 p.m. ET on Sunday, nearly 2.4 million homes and businesses across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia remain without power.
South Carolina was hit hardest, with almost 870,000 residents still in the dark as of the latest update. Georgia follows with more than 656,000 customers without electricity, while North Carolina has just over 526,000 affected. In Florida, around 194,000 people remain without power, and over 127,000 are still impacted in Virginia.
Damages upward of $110 billion
AccuWeather estimates the total cost of Helene's damages and economic losses will be between $95 billion and $110 billion, positioning it as one of the costliest storms in U.S. history. For comparison, Hurricanes Katrina (2005) and Harvey (2017) each caused around $125 billion in damages, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Helene reportedly triggered the worst flooding North Carolina has seen in a century, with Yancey County hit hardest with 29.5 inches of rainfall.
Atlanta also saw record-breaking rainfall, with 11.12 inches falling over 48 hours, the most the city has endured since the 1800s. On Saturday, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said statewide damages may amount to more than the reported $1.2 billion the state incurred following Hurricane Michael in 2018.
In Florida alone, around 84 structures have reportedly been destroyed and over 4,000 have sustained water damage, according to Florida Urban Search and Rescue.
Rescue efforts
Over 800 FEMA staff are working around the clock to provide support and resources in the most affected areas, according to the agency. Evacuations have continued through the weekend as water overtopped several dams, including the Nolichucky Dam in Tennessee and the Lake Lure Dam in North Carolina.
As of Sunday morning, at least 190 people have been rescued in Florida, according to an update from DeSantis, and over 1,300 people are currently seeking refuge in 43 shelters across 21 counties in that state. More than 200 people have been rescued from flood waters in North Carolina as of Saturday.
Debris, downed trees and flooding led to more than 400 road closures in North Carolina, per the New York Times. Now, as of Sunday afternoon, there are at least 300 active road incidents, per the state’s Department of Transportation.
The Georgia Emergency Management Agency is reportedly in 32 counties across the state of Georgia, as they help local agencies in their rescue efforts.
More rain is expected
The storm has been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone and is now lingering over the Tennessee Valley, according to the National Hurricane Center. Parts of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee — including Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg — could see upward of 2 inches of rain through Monday.
While it's forecast to dissipate by Monday, the National Weather Service warns that heavy rain and flash flooding remain a threat for the Central Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic regions, with a slight risk of “excessive rainfall” expected through Tuesday morning.
Additionally, an upper-level low over the Ohio Valley is predicted to gradually weaken as it moves east toward the Mid-Atlantic by Tuesday.
