Hurricane Helene loss of life toll rises as Tennessee dam break imminent: Live updates
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At least 64 people have died as a result of Hurricane Helene, which has caused billions of dollars worth of damage as it rips across a wide swath of the southeastern US.
In a Saturday update on Helene, the National Hurricane Center said that “catastrophic and historic flooding” would continue over portions of the Southern Appalachians, though the risk for additional heavy rainfall was continuing to decrease.
The storm, now classified a post-tropical cyclone, is expected to hover over the Tennessee Valley on Saturday and into Sunday, the NHC added. Millions have been left without power after power lines and cell towers were damaged.
Among the people killed in the storm were three firefighters, a woman and her 1-month-old twins, and an 89-year-old woman whose house was struck by a falling tree, according to an Associated Press tally.
Helene blew ashore in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane late Thursday packing winds of 140mph and then quickly moved through Georgia, the Carolinas and Tennessee, uprooting trees, splintering homes and sending creeks and rivers over their banks and straining dams.
Preliminarily estimates put the total damage and economic loss from Helene at between $95bn and $110bn, according to AccuWeather.
Biden approves Tennessee emergency declaration
Joe Biden has officially declared that an emergency exists in the state of Tennessee and ordered Federal assistance to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Helene, the White House said on Saturday.
The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population
It also authorizes appropriate assistance for required emergency measures to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe.
TV reporter interrupts live broadcast to rescue trapped woman during Hurricane Helene
A Fox meteorologist leaped into action during a live broadcast early Friday morning to rescue a woman trapped in her car amid the deadly Category 4 Hurricane Helene.
Read more here:
Watch: Storm surge caused by Hurricane Helene
More rain predicted over the weekend
Additional rainfall is expected this weekend across portions of the southern Appalachian region, according to the National Weather Service.
Additional totals of up to one inch of rain are expected for areas of western North Carolina, including Asheville – which has seen severe destruction and flooding.
Eastern Tennessee, including Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg will see similar levels and up to two inches is possible for portions of Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania through Monday.
“Although rainfall amounts will be light, areas that received excessive rainfall from Helene may see isolated aggression of excessive runoff,” the National Weather Service office in Greenville-Spartanburg said on Saturday morning.
In pictures: Part of North Carolina highway washed away
Death toll from Helene reaches 52 – reports
The death toll from Hurricane Helene has reached at least 52, according to an Associated Press tally.
Among the people killed in the storm were three firefighters, a woman and her 1-month-old twins, and an 89-year-old woman whose house was struck by a falling tree.
According to the AP, the deaths occurred in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
Shocking footage shows extensive flooding in Asheville, North Carolina
The village of Asheville, North Carolina, was hit with extensive flooding in the aftermath of Helene.
Footage shared online showed buildings fully submerged in water, with residents forced onto their roofs. Multiple casualties have been reported locally.
More than 3 million still without power
Despite Helene easing off on Saturday, some 3.1 million customers were left without power across the southeast on Saturday.
Customers were left in the dark in areas like South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, Florida and Ohio, according to PowerOutage.us.
House fire during Hurricane Helene
Source: independent.co.uk
