Before and after pictures from areas ravaged by Hurricane Helene in the southeastern United States tell a harrowing story—one of communities torn apart by nature’s relentless force. Homes reduced to rubble, streets flooded beyond recognition, and the stillness of abandoned neighborhoods paint a grim picture.
For many, the storm’s aftermath is about survival, as power outages stretch on and loved ones remain missing.As of Monday, the death toll has risen to 130, with North Carolina bearing the brunt of the devastation, reporting 57 fatalities. The destruction has rippled through neighboring states: South Carolina reported 29 deaths, Georgia 25, Florida 14, Tennessee 4, and Virginia 1, according to a tally compiled from local authorities and media reports.
rescue workers are fighting the clock to restore power, clear debris, and provide aid to displaced families. Fallen trees block major roads, and communication lines are severed, with vast swaths of the region left without cell service. This has made the effort to track down the missing all the more difficult, as frantic families wait for news of their loved ones.
President Joe Biden announced plans to visit North Carolina on Wednesday to personally oversee the rescue and recovery efforts. His administration, however, is facing criticism with former President Donald Trump accusing the federal government of neglecting certain areas affected by the hurricane, claims Biden quickly denounced as false.
Authorities have warned that the death toll is likely to climb further, with many still unreachable due to communication breakdowns. In rural pockets of the southeast, communities are cut off from emergency serviceswaiting for aid that, in some cases, is still days away.