'As many as 600 lives lost', US officials say as Hurricane Helene death toll surpasses 125

30 September 2024, 22:17 | Updated: 30 September 2024, 23:04

More than 600 people are still unaccounted for in the wake of Hurricane Helene as the number of confirmed dead surpasses 125.

The catastrophic damage now stretches across ten states, President Joe Biden has confirmed.

Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, President Biden's homeland security adviser, has said the number of dead could be as high as 600, with hundreds of US citizens still unaccounted for.

"The current data we have is that it looks like there could be as many as 600 lost lives, but we do not have any confirmation of that," Sherwood-Randall told the White House briefing.

"We know there are at least 600 who are lost or unaccounted for."

A North Carolina county that includes the mountain city of Asheville reported 30 people had been killed due to the storm, pushing the national death toll to at least 105 people, according to CBS news.

Mr Biden described the storm's impact as "stunning" and said in a post on X he would make a trip the area this week, as long as it does not disrupt rescues or recovery work.

Supplies were being airlifted to the region around the isolated city.

Buncombe County manager Avril Pinder pledged that she would have food and water into Asheville - which is known for its arts, culture and natural attractions - by Monday.

"We hear you. We need food and we need water," Ms Pinder said on a call with reporters. "My staff has been making every request possible to the state for support and we've been working with every single organization that has reached out. What I promise you is that we are very close."

Officials warned that rebuilding from the widespread loss of homes and property would be lengthy and difficult.

The storm upended life throughout south east states with deaths also reported in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia.

Mr Biden on Saturday pledged federal government help for Helene's "overwhelming" devastation.

He also approved a disaster declaration for North Carolina, making federal funding available for affected individuals.

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North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper predicted the toll would rise as rescuers and other emergency workers reached areas isolated by collapsed roads, failing infrastructure and widespread flooding.

He implored residents in western North Carolina to avoid travel, both for their own safety and to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles.

More than 50 search teams spread throughout the region in search of stranded people.

One rescue effort involved saving 41 people north of Asheville. Another mission focused on saving a single infant.

The teams found people through both 911 calls and social media messages, North Carolina National Guard Adjutant General Todd Hunt said.

Hurricane Helene came ashore late on Thursday in Florida's Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane with 140mph winds.

The weakened storm quickly moved through Georgia, then soaked the Carolinas and Tennessee with torrential rains that flooded creeks and rivers and strained dams.

There have been hundreds of water rescues, including in rural Unicoi County in East Tennessee, where dozens of patients and staff were plucked by helicopter from a hospital rooftop on Friday.

More than two million homeowners and other utility customers were still without power on Sunday night.

South Carolina had the most outages and Governor Henry McMaster asked for patience as crews dealt with widespread snapped power poles.

"We want people to remain calm. Help is on the way, it is just going to take time," Mr McMaster said.