At least 133 people have died in six southeastern states as Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc from Florida's Gulf Coast to the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia. The deaths were caused by falling trees, being trapped, drowning when homes collapsed or water entered cars...
The death toll has been steadily rising as rescuers reach areas cut off by collapsed roads, crumbling infrastructure and widespread flooding. At a press conference on September 30, White House homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall said as many as 600 people were still missing as of the afternoon, some of whom may have died.
Government officials and relief groups worked to deliver supplies by air, truck and even donkey to the hard-hit tourist hub of Asheville, North Carolina, and surrounding mountain towns. At least 40 people have died in the county that includes Asheville.
Devastation after Hurricane Helene in Asheville. Photo: AP
Several major roads into Asheville were washed away or blocked by mudslides, including a 4-mile stretch of Interstate 40. The city's water system was severely damaged, forcing residents to use buckets of stream water to flush toilets.
Officials warn that the rebuilding will be long and difficult. Hurricane Helene made landfall on the north Florida coast late on September 26 as a Category 4 storm and quickly moved through Georgia, the Carolinas and Tennessee. The storm wreaked havoc across the Southeast, with deaths also reported in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia.
Officials have urged visitors to stay away from the area to keep the road clear for ambulances. More than 50 search teams have been deployed across the area to look for those trapped.
Western North Carolina was hit harder because that's where Helene encountered the high elevations and colder air of the Appalachian Mountains, causing heavier rainfall. Asheville and many surrounding mountain towns are built in valleys, making them particularly vulnerable to heavy rains and devastating flooding.
Ngoc Anh (according to AP)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/so-nguoi-thiet-mang-vi-bao-helene-o-my-len-toi-133-nguoi-post314725.html
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