The death toll from Hurricane Helene rose to 227 on Saturday as recovery efforts continued over a week after the devastating storm hit the Southeast, affecting six states.
Helene made landfall on September 26 as a powerful Category 4 hurricane, tearing through Florida and moving northward, leaving a trail of destruction. It washed away homes, destroyed roads, and knocked out power and cell service for millions.
On Friday, the death count stood at 225, but two more fatalities were reported in South Carolina the next day. Officials are still uncertain how many people remain unaccounted for, meaning the toll could climb even higher.
Helene is the deadliest hurricane to strike the mainland U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Nearly half of the victims were in North Carolina, with additional deaths reported in Georgia and South Carolina. The city of Asheville in North Carolina’s western mountains was particularly hard-hit.
North Carolina residents have received over $27 million in individual assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency FEMA, according to MaryAnn Tierney, a regional administrator. More than 83,000 people have applied for aid so far, per Governor Roy Cooper’s office.
In Buncombe County, home to Asheville, FEMA has distributed over $12 million to storm survivors. This is critical assistance that helps with immediate needs and provides displacement support for those who can’t stay in their homes, Tierney said during a news briefing on Saturday.
She urged residents affected by the storm to register for disaster relief, emphasizing that it is the first step in the recovery process. “We can provide essential help, from replacing food, water, and medicines to offering displacement assistance if you can’t return to your home, she said.
Helene’s severe flooding reached mountain towns far inland, including Tennessee, where country music star Dolly Parton pledged $1 million to the Mountain Ways Foundation, a nonprofit aiding flood victims. Parton’s East Tennessee businesses and the Dollywood Foundation will match her donation, contributing an additional $1 million.
Parton expressed a deep connection to the storm’s victims, many of whom come from mountain communities like hers. I can’t stand to see anyone in pain, so I wanted to do my part to help after these terrible floods, she said. I hope we can all be a light during this dark time for our friends, neighbors, and even strangers.
Walmart U.S. President and CEO John Furner announced that Walmart, Sam’s Club, and the Walmart Foundation would collectively donate $10 million to hurricane relief efforts.
In Newport, Tennessee, residents spent Saturday cleaning up from the storm’s devastation. Mud still coated the walls of local funeral homes, and chapels were being dried out. City Hall and the police department were flooded, as were many small homes along the swollen Pigeon River, with some structures completely destroyed.
Farther east in Del Rio, volunteers and residents worked to clear debris along the French Broad River, cutting through fallen trees and removing rubble. Several homes were severely damaged, including one that was pushed off its foundation.