Death toll climbs from Hurricane Helene as more than 450k North Carolinians without power
At least 99 people have died from Hurricane Helene. FOX Weather correspondent Robert Ray reports the latest on the devastation from Asheville, North Carolina.
One Asheville, North Carolina resident sounded the alarm as his community battles the devastation left by Hurricane Helene, detailing the "apocalyptic weekend" as the death toll continues to rise while millions are left without power and water.
"It's been an incredibly apocalyptic weekend for all of us here," Asheville resident Gregory Harrison said. "Almost no gas. There is almost no cell service. There's limited power. There is limited food. There are people who are trying to find potable water to feed their families, to have water for their kids."
Officials in Asheville are still trying to rescue residents who have been trapped by the historic flooding over the weekend, which has left many without access to power, running water and cell service.
As of Sunday morning, the North Carolina National Guard (NCNG) activated more than 500 soldiers and airmen and more than 200 vehicles and aircraft, including hoist and emergency aviation assets as well as high-water response vehicles.
Heavy rains from hurricane Helene caused record flooding and damage on Sept. 28, 2024, in Asheville, North Carolina. (Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)
The NCNG reported that it completed 16 air missions, resulting in the rescue of 119 citizens and 11 pets. It said the largest single mission saw the rescue of 41 people north of Asheville in Bumcombe County.
"Our air assets have moved more than 34,000 pounds of cargo, including food, water, and medical supplies to distribute. In the past 48 hours, we have been augmented by personnel and air assets from Connecticut, Maryland, Ohio, Iowa, Florida, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania," the post continued from NCNG.
Buncombe County communications director Lillian Govus urged people in surrounding areas to avoid coming to the affected communities to maximize search and rescue efforts.
"Right now, we need people to not come here," Govus told Lawrence Jones. "We are still in an active search and rescue phase. We have active flooding now. Like you said, it will take just a little bit of rain and we'll have more landslides, more mudslides."
"One of our interstates, I-40, which is the main interstate that takes you all the way to the beach from Asheville, that interstate is closed because the top of a mountain has actually slid down and covered that entire interstate," she continued. "We have a little narrow pathway, and that is just for our emergency vehicles."
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Govus said her community is no longer recognizable after the deadly storm.
"I live out in Black Mountain. What is there now does not resemble anything of the community where I lived before," Govus said. "Homes are completely gone. Power lines are destroyed. The poles are snapped in half and dangling on other places."
"Houses are completely washed away. We don't have running water, and so that's a really big public health crisis for us right now," she continued.
Appalachian State University student Laci Hentschel said she was one of the lucky residents who has power, water and cell service, but said she knows people who lost everything following Helene's devastation.
"My apartment was luckily one of the ones that we're better off, so we have power, water and Wi-Fi," Hentschel told Todd Piro during "Fox & Friends First" on Monday. "However, the water is still undrinkable, but sadly, it's just really sad to see all of my fellow mountaineers that… their apartments just didn't fare as well in all this weather."
"I know people that lost everything they have and are now trying to get back on their feet," she continued. "It's just really sad to see all of that, but I'm glad that our community can come together and lift each other up and do what we can for each other in this time of need."
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Another Asheville resident, who owns an art studio that was luckily spared, said she moved to North Carolina after Hurricane Ian in hopes of evading another catastrophic storm.
"I came from Florida after Hurricane Ian. I thought this is the area to be safe and this is not safe," she said. "They said this… could happen, but it was hard to believe," she continued.
On Sunday, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra declared a public health emergency (PHE) for North Carolina to address the health impacts of Hurricane Helene.
The public health emergency declarations followed President Biden’s emergency declarations for Florida, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. Public health emergency declarations give the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ health care providers and suppliers greater flexibility in meeting the emergency health needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
Fox News' Stepheny Price contributed to this report.
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