Massive rainfall from Hurricane Helene has left many individuals stranded, homeless, and awaiting rescue, as efforts to clean up the aftermath of the devastating storm begin. The hurricane, which made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 140 mph (225 kph), resulted in the loss of at least 64 lives, extensive destruction across the U.S. Southeast, and widespread power outages affecting millions of people. The storm then moved through Georgia, causing severe damage that Gov. Brian Kemp likened to the aftermath of a bomb explosion with shattered homes and debris-covered highways.
Helene weakened as it progressed through Georgia, continuing on to drench the Carolinas and Tennessee with heavy rainfall, leading to flooding and the overflowing of creeks and rivers, along with damage to dams. In Western North Carolina, landslides and flooding resulted in the closure of Interstate 40 and other roads, causing significant delays in various areas. The impact of the storm was particularly felt in East Tennessee, where dramatic water rescues, including a helicopter evacuation of patients and staff from a hospital rooftop in Unicoi County, took place.
Rescue efforts continued in the following days, notably in Buncombe County, North Carolina, where parts of Asheville were submerged under water. The suddenness and severity of the storm caught many residents off guard, leaving communities devastated and isolated from essential services such as cell phone reception and electricity. Emergency responders faced challenges in reporting precise details, including casualties, due to downed communication towers.
The storm’s remnants, now categorized as a post-tropical cyclone, were expected to linger over the Tennessee Valley, aggravating flooding and further disrupting normalcy in the region. North Carolina experienced its worst flooding in a century, with one town, Spruce Pine, receiving over 2 feet (0.6 meters) of rain in just a few days. Cities like Atlanta also saw unprecedented rainfall levels, with over 11 inches (28.24 centimeters) recorded within 48 hours.
President Joe Biden acknowledged the overwhelming impact of Hurricane Helene and promised federal assistance. A disaster declaration has been issued for North Carolina to facilitate funding for affected individuals. The storm’s toll includes deaths in several states, with South Carolina reporting at least 25 fatalities, marking it as the deadliest tropical cyclone for the state since Hurricane Hugo in 1989.
Financial assessments predict significant property damage with Moody’s Analytics estimating between $15 billion to $26 billion in losses, while AccuWeather projects total damages and economic losses in the range of $95 billion to $110 billion. Climate change is highlighted as a contributing factor to the intensification and impact of storms like Helene, which rapidly escalate in warmer oceanic conditions.
The series of storms, including Hurricane Helene, have drawn attention to the vulnerability of regions like Florida’s Big Bend, which had previously gone years without a direct hit from a hurricane. The heightened frequency of such extreme weather events underscores the need for communities to prepare and adapt to the changing climate conditions. The Atlantic hurricane season, which began on June 1, has been forecasted to be above average this year due to record-high ocean temperatures.
