Hurricane Helen Destroys Florida Town, Causes Unprecedented Damage in North Carolina

When this week Hurricane Helen hits Florida coast, one of the worst hit areas was the small town of Steinhatchee, which was hit by three-metre high waves and gusts of wind speeds of 225 kilometres per hour, reports New York Post.

Photo: Felix Mizioznikov | Dreamstime.com

Most of the town's 500 residents evacuated the area and returned to find their homes and buildings destroyed.

“It’s a terrible thing to see,” said Donna Landon, whose mobile home just outside the city limits was completely destroyed. “We’re wiped off the map. There’s nothing left. I have insurance, but now I have to rebuild everything.”

On the subject: Hurricane season 2024: a list of names and forecasts of storm activity in the Atlantic

In the town of Steinhatchee, about 145 kilometers southeast of the state capital Tallahassee, only a few buildings remained intact, while others suffered significant damage.

"I don't think there's anyone who wasn't affected by the hurricane," Landon said. "Luckily, in our community, people look out for each other."

On September 27, workers from four neighboring states arrived in the city to try to restore the damaged electrical grid and restore power to the city. But it will not be soon.

"It's going to take weeks to get back up and running," said Russ Rhodes, who was part of the team that repaired the power lines. "We're basically starting from scratch."

Roy's Restaurant on the banks of the Steinhatchee River was completely destroyed by Hurricane Helena, just nine months after it reopened after Hurricane Idalia last year.

“Our employees are safe,” the restaurant manager said on Facebook Live. “The place itself took a lot of damage. But that’s okay. We’re thinking about our community and our employees, and everyone who was hurt. We love them.”

In total, the restaurant employs more than 30 people.

Roy's owner Linda Wicker vowed to rebuild the 54-year-old restaurant: "It needs to be done. Of course, it's insured, but you can never have enough insurance."

Steinhatchee, like much of Florida's Gulf Coast, continues to grapple with the devastating effects of a Category 4 hurricane that brought fierce winds and unprecedented flooding. As of Sept. 28, at least 45 people have died.

In the nearby town of Perry, nearly 7000 residents are assessing the damage. Trees have blocked many of the main roads, and utility poles have fallen and snapped. Roofs have been blown off homes, power is out, and the water system is down.

"I've lived in Florida my whole life," said Nancy Belleville, 80. "It's never been this bad. But I'm still alive and everyone I love is alive, so I thank God for sparing us."

Hurricane Helen began to lose strength as it passed over western Kentucky and the Tennessee border.

North Carolina

At least 30 people are dead and dozens are missing in just one North Carolina county after Hurricane Helen swept through the state and caused catastrophic flooding, reports BBC.

A clearer picture of the storm's damage was emerging Sunday after it tore through Florida and Georgia. Buncombe County in North Carolina was hit the hardest.

“We have biblical devastation,” said Ryan Cole, the emergency management official for the county where the mountain city of Asheville is located. “This is the largest natural disaster any of us have ever seen.”

On the subject: Why tornadoes often occur after a hurricane lands on land

At least 105 people have died nationwide since the hurricane hit Florida on Sept. 26, according to CBS. That number is expected to rise as officials reach more areas.

Helen began as a hurricane — the most powerful on record — hitting the Big Bend in Florida and moving north into Georgia, the Carolinas and Tennessee. Most of the deaths were confirmed in North and South Carolina, where Helen weakened to a tropical storm.

North Carolina officials said Sunday night that 30 people had died in Buncombe County alone. Crews across the state are battling power outages, cellphone outages and clearing fallen trees from hundreds of closed roads.

Some residents returned from evacuation to find their homes completely destroyed. About 1000 people are still missing in Buncombe County, with no cellphone service.

"This storm has caused catastrophic destruction on a historic scale," said North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper.

The American Red Cross has opened more than 140 shelters for those displaced from their homes in the southeastern states. More than 29 people are currently in shelters, the organization said Sept. 2000.

Erin Quevedo, the owner of a flooded salon in Buncombe County, spoke to The Asheville Citizen Times while standing ankle-deep in mud.

"The cabin is completely destroyed. It looks like the water inside is about one and a half meters high," she said. "We are now trying to save what we can."

Rescue operations continue in North Carolina, with supplies including food and water being airlifted to affected areas inaccessible due to road closures.

“People are desperate for help, and we are doing everything we can to get it there,” Governor Cooper said.

The North Carolina National Guard has rescued more than 119 people, including one infant, Maj. Gen. Todd Hunt said. The largest group rescued was 41 people north of Asheville, the officer said.

Many gas stations are closed across North Carolina, and those that are still open have long lines of cars. Meanwhile, the few supermarkets that are open are overflowing with shoppers trying to buy bottled water.

Damage from the storm is estimated at between $95 billion and $110 billion nationwide, with the extent of the destruction expected to become clearer in the coming days.

The search for survivors continues, and federal states have declared a state of emergency in six states, including Florida and Georgia.

“The devastation we are seeing in the wake of Hurricane Helen is staggering,” President Joe Biden said on September 28.

He directed Deanne Criswell, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to speed up rescue efforts, including deploying additional teams to North Carolina.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York

Although Hurricane Helene has weakened significantly, forecasters warn that strong winds, flooding and a tornado threat may remain.

As the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned earlier this year, up to 2024 named storms are expected in 25.

Eight to 13 of those storms could become hurricanes, and several have already, including Helen. Officials have warned that more storms could be on the horizon as the official end of hurricane season doesn't come until Nov. 30.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Hurricanes, floods, fires: which US states are most prone to natural disasters

10 English words that don't mean what you think

Fake fines and car scams: how scammers can use your car to get money

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.