Catastrophic Hurricane Helene Death Toll Rises Amid Devastation

Hundreds remain missing as the death toll climbs to 135 after Hurricane Helene ravaged the US southeast, causing catastrophic flooding, widespread destruction, and power outages. Initially classified as a hurricane, Helene was later downgraded to a tropical storm, but the damage it caused continues to devastate communities across six states. Emergency teams are still working tirelessly to rescue and recover those affected.

The hardest-hit areas include western North Carolina, where at least 40 people have died, and 300 roads remain closed, hindering recovery efforts and cutting off access to essential supplies like food and water. Buncombe County, home to Asheville, suffered severe damage, with local officials describing the aftermath as “biblical devastation.”

Ryan Cole, an emergency response official, expressed the severity of the situation: “This is the most significant natural disaster we’ve ever seen.”

President Joe Biden is expected to visit North Carolina to survey the damage firsthand. He also plans to visit Georgia and Florida as soon as possible. Vice President Kamala Harris will tour the storm-ravaged areas in Georgia, canceling a previously scheduled event in Pennsylvania.

While some of the floodwaters in North Carolina have begun to recede, many parts of the state remain immobilized. The extreme weather caused unprecedented damage, especially in Mitchell County, about 60 miles from Buncombe. Over 2 feet of rain fell, leading to widespread destruction and the closure of local infrastructure.

One of the most critical concerns is the impact on Spruce Pine, a small town known for producing the world’s largest source of high-purity quartz. This quartz is vital for manufacturing semiconductors, the building blocks of modern computing. The mining operations in Spruce Pine were halted as Hurricane Helene passed through, with both major quartz suppliers, Sibelco and The Quartz Corp, pausing production.

Mitchell County officials reported that the region was without power, cell service, or internet, further complicating recovery efforts. The county experienced what has been described as a “500-year flood,” with homes, roads, and utility lines destroyed by the floodwaters.

In statements released by both Sibelco and The Quartz Corp, the companies prioritized the safety of their workers. Quartz Corp’s head of communication, May Kristin Haugen, stated that while damage assessments are ongoing, it’s “impossible” to predict when operations will resume due to the devastation of local infrastructure.

Despite these closures, Haugen remains optimistic about future supply levels, noting that the industry has learned from the pandemic to maintain adequate safety stocks to avoid shortages.

As North Carolina continues to reel from the damage, the path to recovery is long. Communities are coming together to rebuild, but the scale of destruction from Hurricane Helene will take months, if not years, to fully overcome.