Biden says over 100 dead, 600 people unaccounted for in Hurricane Helene devastation

WASHINGTON — At least 100 people have died and over 600 are unaccounted for across 10 states devastated by Hurricane Helene over the weekend, President Joe Biden said Monday, vowing to deploy the federal resources necessary for “as long as it takes” to help communities recover.

Inland Appalachian communities with little experience dealing with hurricane conditions faced a perfect storm in Helene, which barreled through the Gulf of Mexico and Florida’s Big Bend with enough speed, breadth and intensity to bring devastation deep into the Southeast.

Biden said that over 3,600 personnel had already deployed to the region, including officials from FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers, to help restore cell service as quickly as possible, hopeful that many of those who remain unaccounted for are still alive. The number of federal personnel is expected to increase in the coming days.

“I’ve directed my team to provide every, every available resource as fast as possible to your communities to rescue, recover, and to begin rebuilding,” Biden said.

“This is an historic storm. It’s devastating. They’ve never seen anything like this before,” he added.

Towns in western North Carolina, southern Georgia and rural Kentucky are still faced with flooding from the storm, forcing FEMA and the Defense Department to airlift supplies like meals, fresh water and tarps to those hardest hit. Power is still down in many communities that, because of the damage, remain largely inaccessible and practically isolated.

The crisis has prompted an all-of-government response from the Biden administration. On Monday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas canceled planned travel to Mexico to focus on the emergency response.

FEMA officials have said that rainfall totals in North Carolina, in particular, were “absolutely extreme” and exceeded expectations. The Department of Health and Human Services has declared a public health emergency throughout much of the Southeast warning of threats to the region’s water systems.

Biden said he spent hours on Sunday speaking with local leaders, including Republican Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina, and local officials in affected regions of Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee.

“I want them to know: We’re not leaving until the job is done,” Biden said.

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, where the storm first made landfall, told reporters at a news conference on Monday that he missed a call from Biden while he was on a plane Sunday. He did not say whether he attempted to call the president back.

For now, Florida has the situation “handled,” DeSantis said, encouraging federal officials to direct resources to North Carolina.

Former President Donald Trump, who is running again for the presidency this year, has criticized the federal response and attempted to tie his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, to the fallout in battleground states.

The former president plans to visit Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday, to survey the damage. Biden said he expects to visit North Carolina in the coming days.

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(Miami Herald reporter Ana Ceballos contributed reporting.)