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By Smartenylopedia News Staff with Agencies

The death toll from Hurricane Helene has climbed to 200, making it the deadliest mainland US hurricane since Katrina in 2005. As rescuers continue to search for survivors in the storm-ravaged southeastern United States, the scale of devastation is becoming clear, particularly in North Carolina, where entire communities were uprooted.

Over half of the fatalities occurred in North Carolina, which experienced some of the storm’s most severe impacts. Hundreds of residents remain missing, while close to one million homes are still without power almost a week after Helene landed as a Category 4 hurricane. With roads still closed, emergency services struggle to reach the hardest-hit areas.

President Joe Biden has approved federal disaster assistance for five states: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. On Thursday, Biden began a two-day tour of the impacted regions, visiting Florida and Georgia to survey the damage. In Florida, where the hurricane first made landfall, Biden took an aerial tour of the devastated areas around Tallahassee.

Communities in Crisis

In North Carolina, tens of thousands of residents are without running water, particularly in the mountainous areas surrounding Asheville. The storm left roads impassable, complicating relief efforts. Nicole Rojas, a resident of Vilas, North Carolina, described the disaster, saying, “I feel like I just survived the apocalypse.”

Several states in the region also reported deaths, including South Carolina, where a tragic incident saw an elderly couple killed after a tree fell on their home. The couple was found hugging in bed by their grandson, who shared their story with the Associated Press. South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia all experienced fatalities as the storm tore across the southeast.

Inmates in North Carolina prisons were also affected. On Wednesday, 800 prisoners were relocated due to the lack of electricity and water. Over 2,000 others had already been moved earlier in the week, further highlighting the widespread disruption caused by the storm.

Meanwhile, the lack of power continues to impact hundreds of thousands of people across the region. On Thursday, over 933,000 customers were still without electricity, according to Poweroutages.us.

National Response

The recovery effort involves over 6,700 Army and Air National Guard members from 16 states, with President Biden also deploying 1,000 active-duty soldiers to help with relief operations. During his visit to North Carolina, Biden announced that the federal government would cover 100% of the emergency protective measures and debris removal costs for six months. Similar commitments have been made for Georgia and Florida but for 90 days.

Former President Donald Trump also visited Georgia earlier in the week to tour areas affected by the storm. The Biden administration, however, continues to lead the federal response, having already delivered more than 8.8 million meals, 7.4 million liters of water, 150 generators, and 225,000 tarps to the affected areas, according to Homeland Security chief Alejandro Mayorkas.

Mayorkas warned earlier in the week that FEMA’s resources are severely strained. He raised concerns that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) might struggle to respond effectively if another hurricane were to strike this season. “FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season and what — what is imminent,” Mayorkas said.

Hurricane Season Ongoing

The Atlantic hurricane season remains active until the end of November, and the region is not out of danger yet. Two additional storms, Hurricane Kirk and Tropical Storm Leslie, are currently brewing in the Atlantic. Hurricane Kirk, a Category 3 storm, is expected to create hazardous surf conditions in Florida and the Caribbean but is not projected to make landfall in the US. Tropical Storm Leslie, meanwhile, poses no immediate threat to the mainland.

With recovery efforts still underway and more storms on the horizon, the southeastern US remains in a precarious situation as it grapples with the aftermath of one of the most devastating hurricanes in recent history.

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