President Joe Biden is set to survey the devastation in North and South Carolina on Wednesday, as search and rescue efforts continue in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic impact on the Southeast. The remnants of the hurricane have wreaked havoc across both states, leaving many residents without basic necessities such as running water, cellular service, and electricity. As floodwaters recede, the full extent of the destruction is becoming clear, exposing the death and devastation left in Helene’s wake.
During a press conference on Tuesday, President Biden emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “We have to jump-start this recovery process,” while estimating the costs to be in the billions. “People are scared to death. This is urgent.” Search teams equipped with cadaver dogs have been tirelessly combing through the debris and muck that now fills the mountains of western North Carolina, as they work to locate any remaining victims of the disaster.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper described the aftermath of the hurricane with a sense of despair, stating that entire communities had been “wiped off the map.” This stark description captures the gravity of the destruction that the region has endured. In eastern Tennessee, Governor Bill Lee was part of a caravan assessing the damage outside the town of Erwin when they encountered the grim reality of the situation—a crew was seen pulling two bodies from the wreckage. The current death toll, which has already exceeded 160, is expected to rise as rescue operations continue.
Hurricane Helene has been categorized as one of the deadliest storms in U.S. history, causing widespread power outages and disrupting cellular services across numerous towns and cities. Frustration has mounted among residents who have faced oppressive heat and anxiety as days go by without essential services. Many have resorted to cooking food on charcoal grills or hiking to higher ground in hopes of finding a signal to contact loved ones and confirm their safety.
In Augusta, Georgia, Sherry Brown faced the challenges head-on by converting power from her car’s alternator to keep her refrigerator running, while also utilizing water collected in coolers for makeshift “bird baths.” Meanwhile, other residents waited in line for over three hours to secure bottled water from one of the five centers established to support more than 200,000 affected individuals.
The devastation has hit particularly hard in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where at least 57 fatalities have been reported in and around Asheville, North Carolina—a region known for its vibrant art scene, breweries, and outdoor activities. Swannanoa, a small community located just outside Asheville, saw floodwaters reveal harrowing scenes of destruction: cars stacked atop one another and trailer homes that had been swept away by the storm. Roads were rendered impassable, covered in mud and debris, and riddled with sinkholes.
Cliff Stewart, a Marine Corps veteran, described his harrowing experience as two feet of water surged into his home, causing his wheelchair to float and his medicine bottles to be swept away. Despite the overwhelming circumstances and offers for assistance, he remains resolute in his determination to stay. “Where am I going to go?” he asked. “This is all I’ve got. I just don’t want to give it up, because what am I going to do? Be homeless? I’d rather die right here than live homeless.”
In response to the ongoing disaster, emergency crews are working around the clock, battling exhaustion as they strive to clear roads, restore power, and reach those still stranded in the aftermath of the storm. The death toll continues to climb, with at least 166 lives lost across six states due to Hurricane Helene’s wrath. Many of these fatalities resulted from falling trees or individuals trapped in flooded vehicles and homes. North Carolina accounts for nearly half of the casualties, with South Carolina and Georgia reporting dozens more.
Frank Matranga, a representative from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), announced that over 150,000 households have registered for assistance, a number that is expected to rise rapidly in the coming days. In response to the crisis, nearly two million ready-to-eat meals and over a million liters of water have been dispatched to the hardest-hit areas.
The storm unleashed unprecedented flooding across North Carolina, with some regions experiencing more than two feet of rain—the worst inundation the state has seen in a century. The Cooper administration reported that more than two dozen water treatment plants remain closed, further complicating the recovery efforts as communities struggle to restore essential services.
Governor Cooper noted that active-duty U.S. military units might be necessary to assist with long-term recovery efforts, stating that President Biden has authorized the mobilization of military resources as needed. While a section of Interstate 40, one of the region’s main highways, was reopened on Tuesday after clearing a mudslide, other areas remain inaccessible due to collapsed roadways near North Carolina’s border with Tennessee.
As recovery efforts progress, residents and business owners in the region are taking matters into their own hands. In Hot Springs, North Carolina, individuals donned masks and gloves as they worked to clear debris from nearly every building along the town’s main street, which suffered extensive damage. Sarah Calloway, who owns the deli and gourmet grocery store Vaste Riviere Provisions, shared her experience of how quickly the storm arrived. Despite her efforts to prepare by filling sandbags the night before, they proved ineffective against the rapid rise of the waters. Although she and others sought refuge in an upper-floor apartment, they feared for their safety and called for a swift water rescue team, which unfortunately could not reach them in time. “It was really challenging to watch how quickly it rose up and then just to watch whole buildings floating down the river,” she recounted, struggling to put her feelings into words.
Carina Ramos and Ezekiel Bianchi, a couple living in the Black Mountain Mobile Home Park in Swannanoa, described their panic-stricken escape from the floodwaters that enveloped their home. As they fled in the early morning hours, trees blocked the roads, forcing them to abandon their three vehicles, all of which were ultimately flooded. “We left everything because we were panicking,” Ramos said, reflecting on the trauma of the experience. Their children, who are currently staying with Ramos’ parents, expressed anxiety about returning to their devastated home, with their daughter distraught at the thought of seeing her room in disarray, filled with floating toys.
The widespread damage and outages affecting critical communication infrastructure have left many individuals without reliable internet and cellular service. Mayor Zeb Smathers of Canton, North Carolina, voiced frustration at the lack of communication, noting that many constituents remain without cellphone service and there is no clear timeline for restoration. “People are walking the streets of Canton with their phones up in the air trying to catch a cellphone signal like it’s a butterfly,” he lamented. The challenges posed by the loss of communication have severely hampered the response efforts in the wake of the storm, leaving many residents feeling isolated and abandoned.
Telecommunication companies like Verizon have deployed teams to repair damaged cell towers and fiber cables, while AT&T has initiated one of the largest mobilizations of their disaster recovery assets to restore connectivity in the affected areas. However, the efforts to restore service have been complicated by the region’s rugged terrain and sparsely populated areas, as explained by David Zumwalt, president and CEO of the Association for Broadband Without Boundaries.
The destruction caused by Hurricane Helene has been felt from Florida to Virginia. The storm made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, leaving a trail of devastation across the Southeast. Deaths have also been reported in states like Tennessee and Virginia, as the storm’s impact continued to unfold. Georgia has seen significant power outages and destruction, from Valdosta to Augusta, where residents waited in long lines to secure essential resources. “It’s been rough,” said Kristie Nelson, a resident in Augusta who remains uncertain about when her electricity will be restored. “I’m just dying for a hot shower.”
The toll of Hurricane Helene has been particularly severe in South Carolina, where at least 36 fatalities have been confirmed. This surpasses the 35 deaths recorded in the state during Hurricane Hugo, which struck near Charleston in 1989. The devastation has left communities grappling with the immediate and long-term impacts of the disaster.
As Tennessee Governor Bill Lee surveyed damage in the eastern part of the state, residents expressed frustration at the perceived lack of assistance. For many, the arrival of the governor and his entourage marked the first aid they had received since the storm struck. “Where has everyone been?” one resident asked, highlighting the sense of isolation and abandonment that many are feeling in the aftermath of this devastating event.
As recovery efforts continue across North and South Carolina, the resilience and determination of the affected communities will be tested in the days, weeks, and months ahead. The challenges are monumental, but the spirit of the people in these regions, coupled with the support from federal, state, and local agencies, will be crucial in overcoming the extensive damage inflicted by Hurricane Helene. In this time of crisis, the focus remains on the urgent need for assistance, the restoration of basic services, and the rebuilding of lives and communities that have been irreparably altered by the storm’s devastating path. The road to recovery will be long and arduous, but as the sun rises on a new day, the hope for renewal and rebuilding remains alive in the hearts of those who have endured such profound loss.