Hurricane Helene wreaks havoc on US Southeast, death toll rises

WASHINGTON: Southeastern US states started a massive cleanup and recovery effort on Sunday after winds, rain and storm surges from Hurricane Helene snuffed out power, destroyed roads and bridges and caused catastrophic flooding from Florida to Virginia.

The storm caused at least 60 deaths, according to state and local officials in South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia. Officials feared still more bodies would be discovered across several states.

Damage estimates ranged from $15 billion to more than $100 billion, insurers and forecasters said over the weekend. Property damage and lost economic output will become more clear as officials assess the destruction.

Days of driving rain followed Helene slamming into Florida’s Gulf Coast on Thursday night. More than 3 million customers faced power outages over the weekend after unprecedented storm surges, ferocious winds and perilous conditions that extended hundreds of miles inland.

Some of the worst rains hit western North Carolina, which saw almost 30 inches fall on Mount Mitchell in Yancey County, the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Centre reported.