Supplies Arrive by Plane and By Mule in North Carolina as Helene’s Death Toll Tops 180

Widespread devastation left behind by Hurricane Helene came to light Monday across the South, revealing a wasteland of splintered houses, crushed cargo containers and mud-covered highways in one of the worst storms in U.S. history.

At least 180 people have died across six states and officials fear the death toll could rise following Hurricane Helene. Many more remain missing, perhaps unable to leave their location or contact family where communications infrastructure is in shreds.

Helene is the second-deadliest hurricane to strike the US mainland in the past 50 years, following Hurricane Katrina, which killed at least 1,833 people in 2005.

Here’s the breakdown of deaths from Helene by state:

North Carolina: 91
South Carolina: 36
Georgia: 25
Florida: 17
Tennessee: 9
Virginia: 2

Hundreds of roads remain closed, especially in the Carolinas, hampering the delivery of badly needed supplies. Some areas are so inaccessible supplies are being delivered by mules and by air. More than 1.3 million customers are without power, according to PowerOutage.us, most in the Carolinas, where “major portions of the power grid… were simply wiped away.”

via: CNN

President Joe Biden said he will travel to North Carolina on Wednesday to meet with officials and take an aerial tour of Asheville.

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