Heartache swept through large parts of the southeastern United States as residents faced the daunting task of cleaning up after the deadly Hurricane Helene. 🌧️
Helene stands out as one of the most powerful and potentially costliest storms in modern U.S. history, with damage estimates ranging from $95 billion to $110 billion, according to AccuWeather's chief meteorologist. The storm has already claimed dozens of lives, and authorities fear more bodies may be discovered across several states.
In the small Florida coastal town of Horseshoe Beach, Charlene Huggins was left in tears as she surveyed the remains of her family home. \"Five generations lived in this house, from my grandmother, my father, myself, my daughter, son and my granddaughter. We were raised in this house. So it's, there's a lot of memories here. It's just, it breaks your heart. It devastates you,\" she shared.
At least 3 million people remain without power across five states, with officials warning it could take several days to restore services fully. While Helene was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone late Friday, its remnants continue to produce heavy rains, leading to massive flooding and threatening dam failures in areas like western North Carolina.
George Carter recounted the chaos during the hurricane: \"Power went out. Cell phone went out… So, there's no way to talk to anyone. Some of the neighbors came and knocked on doors and we sort of communicated with each other, in the pouring rain. I walked across the street to go check on a house that is a friend of mine's, and the water was at least ten feet up from where it should be.\"
U.S. President Joe Biden called the storm's devastation \"overwhelming\" and directed emergency officials to expedite support to survivors and send additional search and rescue teams to North Carolina.
Amid the tragedy, communities like Adam Jackson's in Mill Spring are embodying resilience and solidarity. \"There's probably 50 trees blocking my neighbors from coming out. I started helping them yesterday, the neighbors at the other end of the road. We got us out, but the other neighbors are trapped. Our little area and community… We're not stepping over each other. We're not jumping lines to buy the last candy bar. That's the way the world needs, we need community back,\" Jackson emphasized.
