The death toll from Hurricane Helene in the US has risen to 133.

At least 133 people have died in six southeastern US states due to Hurricane Helene, which wreaked havoc from the Florida Gulf Coast to the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia. Causes of death included falling trees, being trapped, drowning when houses collapsed, or cars being submerged in water.

The death toll steadily rose as rescuers reached areas isolated by collapsed roads, damaged infrastructure, and widespread flooding. At a press briefing on September 30, White House Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall said that as many as 600 people remained missing as of that afternoon, some of whom may have died.

Government officials and relief teams have worked to deliver supplies by air, truck, and even donkey to the heavily impacted tourist hub of Asheville, North Carolina, and surrounding mountain towns. At least 40 people have died in the county that includes Asheville.

The scene of devastation after Hurricane Helene in Asheville. Photo: AP

Several major roads into Asheville were washed away or blocked by mudslides, including a 6.4-kilometer stretch of Interstate 40. The city's water system was severely damaged, forcing residents to scoop stream water into buckets to flush toilets.

Officials warned that reconstruction would be protracted and difficult. Hurricane Helene made landfall on the northern Florida coast late on September 26 as a Category 4 storm and quickly moved across Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee. The storm wreaked havoc across the southeastern United States, with deaths also reported in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Officials have urged tourists to stay away from the area to keep roads clear for ambulances. More than 50 search teams have been deployed across the area to search for those trapped.

Westerly North Carolina was more heavily impacted because it was there that Hurricane Helene came into contact with the higher altitude and colder air of the Appalachian Mountains, resulting in greater rainfall. Asheville and many surrounding mountain towns are built in valleys, making them particularly vulnerable to devastating heavy rains and flooding.

Ngoc Anh (according to AP)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/so-nguoi-thiet-mang-vi-bao-helene-o-my-len-toi-133-nguoi-post314725.html