[Hurricane. Photo Credit to Pixabay]

On September 26th, Hurricane Helene, a category 4 hurricane with maximum winds of 140mph slammed into Florida’s Big Bend region.

The hurricane has not only impacted Florida, but also many other states, with deaths reported in South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Virginia, and Tennessee.

It is estimated that at least 102 people died, but the death toll is continuously rising.

Currently, North Carolina has the highest death toll with more than 42 victims confirmed dead.

In the other states, the number of victims is also increasing with approximately 25 storm victims in South Carolina, 17 in Georgia, 11 in Florida, 4 in Tennessee, and 2 in Virginia.

The hurricane has not only caused tragic deaths, but millions of people have also been affected, losing power and being trapped in floodwaters.

It may take more than weeks to restore electricity.

Not only have people been affected, but some roads and bridges have been damaged or even washed away by the floodwater.

The aftermath of Hurricane Helene is so chaotic that the National Hurricane Center has described it as “catastrophic and life-threatening flash and urban flooding, including numerous landslides”.

With the rising death toll, President Biden has exclusively declared a state of emergency, but only in North Carolina, as it currently has the highest number of deaths.

As a result, North Carolina will be funded for emergency protective measures such as shelters and evacuations.

Furthermore, it is predicted that Helene will bring heavy rainfalls to many states.

In the North Carolina region, around 14 inches of rain is expected, which poses a potential risk of landslides.

Since North Carolina has been facing difficulties in increasing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, on the 29th, the state joined Florida and Georgia in being declared under a public health emergency by the federal government.

Even though risks from rainfall are a big concern, a pressing matter that requires immediate attention is the fresh water supply as many water plants are out of commission and many pipes used to bring water have been damaged due to the hurricane.

Unfortunately, community members may have to wait for fresh water as long-term plans for resolution are developed.

Like water resources, people are coping by sharing other resources including air to breathe.

For example, a disabled Vietnam War veteran has been sharing his oxygen tank with his neighbor.

Observing the catastrophic situation, the executive director of the Asheville Dream Center has expressed that she has never seen her community like this before.

To address the issue, President Biden announced on the 29th that he will visit impacted communities from the storm in the coming days.

The president has spoken to the governors of the impacted states, and he has been monitoring the recovery efforts while approving an emergency declaration in Florida, which has a risk of landfall.

Also, former president Donal Trump has also sent his condolences to the impacted communities.

Efforts are being made by governors to manage the state of emergency, but there are still many potential risks that should be monitored.