The aftermath of Storm Helene which tore through the Southeastern United States, has been left in a trail of devastation. The powerful storm killed at least 64 people across five states and caused widespread power outages. At least 24 people died in South Carolina, 17 in Georgia, 11 in Florida, 10 in North Carolina and 1 in Virginia.
Rescuers faced immense challenges on Saturday, dealing with washed-out bridges and debris-laden roads while searching for survivors of Storm Helene.Now classified as a ‘Post-Tropical cyclone’, Helene continued to drench the Ohio Valley and the central Appalachians.
From the hardest-hit coastal towns to inland regions buried in mud, the reaction from residents was a mix of shock, resilience, and heartbreak.
In Florida’s Steinhatchee, Janalea England told AP, “I’ve never seen so many homeless people as what I have right now.” She has transformed her commercial fish market into a donation centre for those who were affected by the storm.
“You wake up, and the life you knew is just… gone.” He spoke of his concern for others who had lost even more. “I’m worried about the families. There’s hardly any place left open to get food or supplies. And the kids… they don’t understand what’s happening.”
Cedar Key, Florida, once a picturesque island town known for its colourful wooden homes, was nearly unrecognisable.
According to AFP, Gabe Doty, a lifelong resident said, “We’ve been through storms before, but this—this is something else. It breaks my heart to see it like this. We haven’t had a moment to breathe since the last hurricane, and now this.”
In South Carolina, Margaret Bennett, a mother of three, spoke about two local firefighters who had lost their lives during the storm. “They were heroes, truly,” she said. “To think they gave their lives trying to save others… I just pray for their families. This storm didn’t just take homes, it took people who meant the world to us,” she added.
Rescue operations have been extensive, with helicopter rescues of patients and staff stuck on a hospital rooftop in Unicoi County, Tennessee. “This caught us off guard,” said Sheriff Quentin Miller, while talking to AP.
In Asheville, resident Mario Moraga called the situation in Biltmore Village “heartbreaking.”
In a statement on Saturday, President Joe Biden described the devastation caused by Helene as “overwhelming.”
He received briefings from FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall regarding “the tragic loss of life across the region,” according to the White House.
In North Carolina, where mudslides blocked roads, neighbours came together with shovels and chainsaws to clear the way. “We don’t have power or cell service, but we have each other,” said Ray Cooper, a resident near Asheville. “You see the best in people during the worst times.”
In Florida’s Panhandle, volunteers set up relief stations, offering water, blankets, and hot meals. Even those who lost everything were helping. “I don’t have a roof over my head,” said Mike Callahan, a fisherman, “but I can still hand out sandwiches,” as reported by AFP.
Residents like 76-year-old John Berg from Steinhatchee are facing the harsh reality of more frequent hurricanes. “It’s a wake-up call about disasters,” he said.
Timmy Futch from Horseshoe Beach while talking to AP said, “We watched our town get torn apart.”
Despite the devastation, there was a shared determination across the storm-hit states. “We’ll rebuild,” Doty said. “We have to. This is home,” she added.
Helene made landfall in Florida on Thursday as a Category 4 hurricane, bringing destructive winds and flooding. It weakened as it moved north, but left behind uprooted trees, downed power lines, and homes devastated by mudslides.
Federal emergencies were declared in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, with more than 800 FEMA personnel deployed for relief efforts.