Helene’s death toll reaches 200 as crews try to reach the most remote areas hit by the storm
SUMMARY
Hurricane Helene has claimed at least 200 lives, and officials fear the death toll may rise as rescuers work to reach isolated areas in western North Carolina. The storm, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on Florida’s Gulf Coast on September 26, has caused widespread destruction across multiple states, leaving millions without power, water, or cellular service. According to poweroutage.us, over 800,000 homes and businesses in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia remain without electricity as of Thursday. Rescue teams are facing significant challenges as they try to navigate washed-out roads, toppled trees, and landslides that have isolated entire communities. In areas like Black Mountain, helicopters have been deployed to airlift stranded residents, while search teams go door-to-door in some of the hardest-hit regions. Buncombe County alone reported 61 deaths, but search and rescue operations are ongoing, with many people still unaccounted for.
