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35 dead in Buncombe County; food and water distribution begins
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2.1 million homes and businesses experience power outages and widespread communication disruptions
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President Biden and Vice President Harris visit disaster area, President Trump receives briefing
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National Guard fully activated, emergency personnel from 19 states assisting
Marco Bello Maria Alejandra Cardona
September 30 – Emergency responders in North Carolina on Monday said they had lost people missing for three days after Hurricane Helen ripped through the southeastern United States, killing more than 100 people, cutting off communications and knocking out power to millions. I was in a hurry to contact him.
Thirty-five people have died in Bumcombe County, a hard-hit mountainous area that includes the city of Asheville, the county sheriff announced at a news conference Monday. The county plans to begin distributing food and water to residents later in the day after some supplies were airlifted to areas largely isolated by flooded roads and power outages.
“Most areas of the county are without water, without power, and our roads remain incredibly dangerous,” County Manager Avril Pinder said.
Cell phone service remained disrupted in a wide area from Ohio through the Carolinas to Florida. About 2.1 million homes and businesses were without power as of early Monday, according to the website Poweroutage.us.
“The lack of communication is alarming,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said in an interview with CNN on Monday. “We know there are people missing and we know there will be significant casualties once this is over, and our prayers and hearts go out to these families. Masu.”
Ms Cooper said she had not heard from her son and daughter in 72 hours, adding that local authorities and rescue workers were conducting door-to-door welfare checks in many areas.
In Buncombe, officials said they are testing 150 “priority” households, including residents who are elderly or have medical issues.
The National Guard is fully activated and emergency personnel from 19 states are helping, along with Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel. Cooper said the mountains in western North Carolina are rugged, prone to landslides and flooding, and nearly impossible to traverse.
“So we rely heavily on air power and helicopters with hoist capabilities to transport supplies,” he said.
Helen slammed into Florida’s Gulf Coast Thursday night, causing days of heavy rain and destroying homes built over decades. As it moved north, roads were washed away, neighborhoods were destroyed, and many communities lacked water and basic necessities.
The death toll in the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Virginia is near 100 and could rise, according to a Reuters review of state and local tallies. Other reports put the death toll from the storm at more than 100.
Over the weekend, insurance companies and forecasters said damage estimates ranged from $15 billion to more than $100 billion, as water systems, communications and vital transportation routes were damaged or destroyed.
More property damage and loss of economic production will become apparent as authorities assess the destruction.
President Joe Biden plans to visit affected areas this week if he can do so without disrupting emergency services, the White House said.
Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris plans to cut short her tour of Nevada on Monday to attend a hurricane preparedness briefing in Washington, and plans to visit the area if it does not interfere with preparedness efforts. A White House official said. .
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday to be briefed on the damage caused by the storm.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to the text.