Hurricane Helene made landfall in the United States as a Category 4 storm, devastating coastal Florida and parts of Georgia. It then swept through large swaths of North Carolina, washing away roads, causing landslides, and knocking out power and cell service for millions.
Damage estimates from Hurricane Helene range from $15 billion to more than $100 billion as water supplies, communications and key transportation routes are affected, according to insurance companies and forecasters.
Rescue forces in North Carolina. PHOTO: REUTERS/Thanh Nien
Meanwhile, according to ABC News , at least 132 people were killed by Hurricane Helene in 6 US states including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The place that suffered the greatest loss was Buncombe County, North Carolina, with 40 people killed.
Authorities said 600 people were still unaccounted for in the county, which was without power or phone service. Many people in other states were also unreachable for the same reason. Authorities warned the death toll could rise.
President Joe Biden's Homeland Security Adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall said on September 30 that the death toll could reach 600, according to AFP .
As of the afternoon of September 30, PowerOutage.us reported that more than 2 million customers in the US were living without electricity.
Hurricane Helene made landfall at Horseshoe Beach, Florida, damaging many homes. Photo: AFP/Lao Dong
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida last week as a Category 4 storm, packing winds of up to 140 mph (225 km/h). The storm then swept through several other states.
North Carolina is in the path of Hurricane Helene, along with Tennessee, South Carolina and Virginia.
According to the New York Times hurricane report, the western part of North Carolina is facing historic disaster in the wake of the storm.
Hurricane Helene brought torrential rains and dangerous landslides, leaving the region in a state of crisis. Gretchen Hogan, a resident of Brevard, North Carolina, said the situation was "like a miniature apocalypse."
Many areas lost power and cellphone service due to the storm, complicating rescue efforts. Debris, fallen trees and flooding closed more than 400 roads and gas stations ran out of fuel.
These challenges make rescuing residents and assessing damage a nearly impossible task.
On September 29, North Carolina airdropped food to cut-off communities and sent workers to restore water systems. In Asheville, officials said it could take weeks to restore water.
On the same day, September 29, US President Joe Biden spoke with Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, as well as officials from North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida and South Carolina.
President Biden also announced that he will visit the affected people this weekend. Former US President Donald Trump also sent condolences to the families affected by Hurricane Helene. According to analysts, Helene is the strongest storm to hit the Big Bend area of Florida.
Minh Hoa (according to Thanh Nien, Tuoi Tre, Lao Dong)
Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/so-nguoi-thiet-mang-vi-bao-helene-nguy-hiem-bac-nhat-lich-su-co-the-len-den-600-204241001103618317.htm
Comment (0)