The death toll in Helene is approaching a hundred as more than two million remain without power

Topline

Nearly a hundred people have died in six states as a result of the widespread destruction and catastrophic flooding caused by Hurricane Helene. The number is likely to rise as rescue and recovery efforts race.

Important facts

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Big number

More than 2 million. That's the total number of homes and businesses that remained without power early Monday after Helene, according to Poweroutage.us. South Carolina is the hardest hit, with more than 755,000 customers without power, followed by Georgia with more than 580,000 outages and North Carolina with about 458,000 outages. More than 133,000 homes and businesses remained affected in Florida, while another 100,000 in Virginia were affected by power outages.

Crucial quote

Deanne Criswell, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), called the flooding in North Carolina “historic” in a conversation with CBS News on Sunday, adding: “I don't know if anyone has fully appreciated the extent of the flooding and landslides “I'm experiencing it now, but we've had teams there for several days.”

What you should pay attention to

While Helene has mostly dissipated, the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center warned that there is a slight risk of excessive precipitation over the already saturated central Appalachians on Monday. The agency warned that the downpour could lead to localized flash flooding in urban and low-lying areas.

How many remain missing?

Buncombe County officials told CBS News that at least 600 people were still missing in the area Sunday evening, up from 1,000 the day before. According to NBC News, around 153 people are missing in Tennessee. Authorities believe many of the missing people are likely safe, but have been unable to make contact with the people due to power outages and lack of cell phone reception.

tangent

Former President Donald Trump will visit Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday “to learn about the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene” and “facilitate the distribution of relief supplies,” according to his campaign. Trump attacked President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at a rally on Sunday over their response to the hurricane. Harris addressed the hurricane at her rally in Las Vegas on Sunday, saying she received a briefing on the issue from FEMA officials. The White House has said that both Biden and Harris intend to visit the affected community when it is possible to do so without interrupting the emergency response.

Further reading

Aftermath of Hurricane Helene: At least 52 dead as flooding threat continues (Forbes)

Hurricane Helene makes landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm – what you need to know (Forbes)