Hurricane Helene devastates North Carolina, 30 dead in one county
At least 30 people have died, and hundreds remain unaccounted for in Buncombe County, North Carolina, after Hurricane Helene unleashed catastrophic flooding across the region.
At least 30 people have died, and hundreds remain unaccounted for in Buncombe County, North Carolina, after Hurricane Helene unleashed catastrophic flooding across the region. The deadly storm, which began as the most powerful hurricane to hit Florida’s Big Bend, moved north, wreaking havoc in multiple states.
“We have biblical devastation,” said Ryan Cole, an emergency official from Buncombe County, home to the mountain city of Asheville. “This is the most significant natural disaster that any one of us has ever seen.”
Nationwide, at least 105 fatalities have been reported since Helene made landfall, and the toll is expected to rise as rescuers reach more isolated areas. In North Carolina, rescue teams are working tirelessly, with thousands of residents displaced and many homes destroyed.
“This storm has brought catastrophic devastation… of historic proportions,” said North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, as rescue operations continue, and power outages leave many communities cut off. The storm’s total damage is estimated at up to $110 billion.