However, experts and officials are sure that the death toll will increase significantly, as there are many missing persons. In many places, only on these days, rescuers pull out the remains of the dead from the ruins of houses and cars buried in the mud.
The Independent quotes US Homeland Security Advisor Lisa Sherwood-Rendell as saying that at least 600 people are missing. It is quite possible that they have lost their lives. Getting information from people who may have survived in more remote areas, but are unable to escape due to flooded rivers and damaged roads, is hampered by the failure to restore mobile communications in many areas, according to CNN. According to the sites Poweroutage.us As of yesterday, electricity had not been restored to about a million customers in the states most affected by the hurricane – South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, West Virginia and Florida. The highest number of deaths – 95 – was registered in the state of North Carolina.
US President Joe Biden visited Raleigh, the capital of the state of North Carolina, on Wednesday to assess the damage caused by the hurricane and meet with victims and rescuers. He praised North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Democrat, and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, Republican, for their proactive response to the storm and said that when a natural disaster comes, “we put politics aside.” “No one can deny the impact of the climate crisis anymore. The storms are getting stronger and stronger,” the president was quoted as saying The Independent.
Helen made landfall in Florida last Thursday as a Category 4 hurricane with gusts of up to 62 meters per second. 736 millimeters of rain was recorded in western North Carolina. The hurricane then weakened and stalled over Tennessee as a tropical storm from September 27 to 29.
AccuWeather estimates show that the hurricane may have caused a loss of 145-160 billion dollars to the US economy.
2024-10-05 01:14:18