Hurricane Helene has become the second deadliest that has struck USA in the last 50 yearswith at least 180 dead in six states, although the number could increase as emergency teams search for hundreds of missing people. Only the Hurricane Katrina, which caused more than 1,800 deaths In 2005, it surpasses it in mortality. Now, this count covers the cyclones that have impacted the US continental area, so Maria, which hit in 2017, is not counted. Puerto Rico (associated state) and left nearly 5,000 victims.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 cyclone, with winds of up to 225 km/h, and moved through Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee and Virginia, leaving a trail of destruction. Heavy rains overflowed rivers and dams, flooded roads, destroyed infrastructure and caused blackouts in millions of homes.
In some parts of the southeastern United States, such as Pinellas County, some closed roads have begun to be opened after the collection of debris and brush. In western North Carolina the reality is different, especially in hard-hit Asheville, where Hundreds of people are reported missing.
The president of the United States, Joe Bidenhas approved the major disaster declaration in eleven counties in Georgia, which add to the 17 in Florida, 25 in North Carolina and 13 in South Carolina, which had already declared. Likewise, it has ordered the Department of Defense to deploy up to 1,000 active duty soldiers to reinforce the North Carolina National Guard, with rescue and aid delivery maneuvers.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has registered more than 150,000 household assistance requests from the area affected by Helene. FEMA claims to have allocated more than two million dollars to survivors of the disaster and expect the figure to “increase rapidly” in the coming days.
With the death count rising and hundreds of people still missing, Helene’s full impact could take weeks to know. Authorities remain focused on rescue operations and providing assistance to the most affected communities.
