Hurricane Helene kills at least 89 people in the US

As of Sunday, the storm had killed at least 89 people in South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia, according to CNN. Officials fear that many more bodies have yet to be discovered.

Insurance companies and forecasters said over the weekend that damage estimates ranged from $15 billion to more than $100 billion. The extent of property damage and lost economic output will become clearer as officials assess the devastation.

A collapsed road in Boone, North Carolina on September 27, 2024. Photo: Reuters

South Carolina recorded the highest death toll with 25 fatalities, most of them from falling trees. "This is a big blow, but we can get through it," South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster said at a news conference on Sunday.

In North Carolina, the death toll has risen to 11, Gov. Roy Cooper said. All roads in the western part of the state should be considered closed and will take months to repair. Food and water are being airlifted to those areas.

In Flat Rock, North Carolina, widespread power outages forced people to line up for hours for gas. “The grocery stores are closed, the cell phone service is down,” said Chip Frank, 62, as he entered his third hour of waiting in line. “It all depends on these gas stations.”

The storm damaged water systems, communications and critical transportation routes across the region, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA said the Army Corps of Engineers will begin assessing damage to water systems on Sunday to help restore them.

A house collapsed due to Hurricane Helene, in Boone, North Carolina, US on September 28, 2024. Photo: Reuters

About 2.7 million customers were without power on Sunday, a 40% drop from Friday after an unprecedented storm swept hundreds of miles inland, a U.S. Department of Energy official said.

Governor Ron DeSantis said Saturday that 11 people were killed in Florida in the Gulf Coast city of Perry, which saw waves as high as 15 feet (4.5 meters), larger than those from other hurricanes in recent years.

Governor Brian Kemp said 17 people, including children, were killed in Georgia. “It’s tragic,” President Joe Biden told reporters on Sunday, a day after declaring a major disaster in Florida. “You’ve seen the pictures. It’s horrific.”

Hoang Anh (according to Reuters, CNN)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/bao-helene-khien-it-nhat-89-nguoi-thiet-mang-cuon-troi-nhieu-nha-cua-o-my-post314493.html