Hurricane Helene has taken the nation by storm, literally! Hitting mainland USA on September 26th, 2024, this category four hurricane was the deadliest mainland USA hurricane to hit, right behind hurricanes Katrina and Maria. The hurricane hit winds of up to 140 mph, making landfall 150 miles north up the side of America. The death toll so far has made its way to over 215 with hundreds still unaccounted for. Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North and South Carolina, even Tennessee and Virginia were all hit by the storm.
While Florida was one of the first to get hit, North Carolina got hit especially hard. Over half of the confirmed deaths come from North Carolina, specifically its mountainous western region. With over 100 deaths, it’s been found that most casualties come from floods caused by rain rather than storm surges. Alongside the destruction in North Carolina, small towns in Florida have basically been reduced to nothing as well.
Cell towers have been knocked down, roads blocked off, and houses and buildings have been obliterated due to a multitude of reasons: heavy rains, flash floods, debris both organic and manmade, landslides, mudslides and washouts. The ruination of the cell towers has isolated millions of people from their families, emergency services and the world outside their town. Interstates 26 and 40 have closed due to debris blockage and damage, with about 300 roads being closed in North Carolina alone.
People are doing whatever they can to help those hit by the storms. Over 7,000 people have signed up for FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). The National Guard flew over 1,000 tons of food and water with 1,000 soldiers being sent to help the National Guard. Organizations such as the “Red Cross and National VOAD” (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) are looking for donations in order to help more.
Image Courtesy to: Rax Pixel
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