When Hurricane Helene swept through Western North Carolina, it wiped out several gas stations. Now, as winter approaches, people need that gas to heat their homes.
Nearly two months after Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic flooding across the Southeast, officials in North Carolina have confirmed an additional death from the storm.
Helene made landfall in Florida on Sept. 26 before charging into the Southeast and dropping more than 30 inches of rain in parts of western North Carolina. The result was deadly flooding that ripped apart homes, roads and major infrastructure.
The storm also caused significant loss of life with 231 deaths across seven states. However, nearly two months after the flooding event unfolded, and while recovery efforts continue, there have been new victims of the storm.
A bridge and road are washed away in Bee Log, Burnsville, North Carolina, October 6, 2024, in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. (Photo by ALLISON JOYCE/AFP via Getty Images)
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In Yancey County, a 40-year-old man died on Nov. 12 when the gravel truck he was hauling to help with storm cleanup overturned. His death marks the 103rd in North Carolina since Helene’s landfall, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS).
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While a majority of the deaths in North Carolina were from drowning that happened during the storm, it’s not uncommon for fatalities to occur during cleanup efforts, as officials have already reported. According to FEMA, multiple studies show there is a “significant health risk” after a storm from carbon monoxide poisoning, blunt-force trauma and chain-saw injuries.
A bridge and road are washed away in Bee Log, Burnsville, North Carolina, October 6, 2024, in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. (Photo by ALLISON JOYCE/AFP via Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
In the weeks since Helene, multiple people have died while clearing debris and cutting down trees. Other post-storm victims include people with medical conditions unable to access oxygen or who died from complications.
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Teams also continue to recover bodies from flooding debris.
The majority of North Carolina’s reported deaths come from Buncombe County, the home of Asheville, and other badly hit cities such as Swannanoa and Black Mountain. The county is reporting 43 deaths due to the storm.