[Image of a building damaged by a hurricane. Credit to Unsplash]

The aftermath of Hurricane Helene has left communities in the Southeastern United States grappling with overwhelming destruction and loss of life after making landfall on Thursday, September 26.

Helene initially developed as a tropical storm in the Caribbean but rapidly intensified and attacked U.S. states including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.

By the time Helene hit Florida’s Big Band region as a Category 4 hurricane, it had reached wind speeds of up to 140 mph, making it one of the most powerful storms to strike the region in decades.

The overall death toll caused by the hurricane has currently risen up to at least 95, with expectations that this number will most likely increase.

The storm's rapid escalation left little time for residents in some areas to fully prepare, further amplifying the scale of destruction.

Causes of death ranged from rapidly rising floodwaters, falling trees, car crashes and tornadoes produced by the storm.

As of now, only limited information about the victims is available.

Roughly 2.4 million people were affected by power outages and cell phone service was disrupted in many regions.

After devastating Florida, Helene moved on to ravage the Southeast, particularly in North Carolina, where the storm triggered floods and landslides.

In North Carolina, over 200 people have been rescued from floodwaters and search teams are still trying to find over a thousand missing people in North Carolina and Tennessee.

Western North Carolina, in particular, has faced unprecedented damage, with floodwaters washing away houses, cutting off entire towns, and leaving residents without power and communication.

Landslides triggered by the hurricane closed more than 400 roads, making rescue operations extremely difficult, especially in remote areas.

Water systems in Asheville, NC were heavily damaged, with repairs expected to take weeks as authorities continue to assess the full extent of the infrastructural damage.

The Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis described the devastation as a “complete obliteration of homes” in places such as Cedar Key, a small community near the Gulf of Mexico, and Keaton Beach, another small shoreline community, where nearly 90 percent of the civilian residences were washed away.

The destruction extended to Georgia and Tennessee, where significant flooding and widespread power outages were reported in multiple areas.

In the state of Georgia, at least 15 storm-related deaths have been confirmed by the governor, and emergency rescue operations were required for those who are stranded by floodwaters.

Emergency declarations have been approved in several states, including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, in an effort to coordinate federal and state resources.

In response to the disaster, search-and-rescue teams from neighboring states and federal agencies have been deployed to help the severely affected areas.

Food and supplies are being airlifted into isolated areas, while the National Guard and local authorities are putting effort to clear debris and restore basic services.

With over 1,270 rescuers deployed and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) coordinating recovery operations, the focus is on both immediate relief and long-term recovery strategies.

While efforts to rebuild houses and restore critical services are in progress, the damage left behind will have long-lasting effects across the Southeastern United States.