On September 26th, 2024, of one the deadliest hurricane took place further than 500 miles inland from the Florida coast. This hurricane wiped out at least 231 people across 6 states, being one of the deadliest hurricanes to strike the US in the last 50 years. More than 30,000 people were left without power in Georgia. Meanwhile, Joe Biden directed 500 troops to western North Carolina to assist with recovery efforts to help with the damage of the hurricane.
A week after the hurricane, the smell of death, literally, filled the air. Jazmine Rodgers claimed to smell dead bodies as he drove by cities. After hurricane Katrina, survivors said the same thing. They called it “the smell of decay and loss of life”.
Large sections of western North Carolina became unrecognizable. In Chimney Rock, no building or home was left undamaged. The number of people missing was left unclear. 71 people were known to survive.
The estimate of the economic impact of the hurricane is as high as $200 billion, which could make hurricane Helene the most expensive hurricane. After this hurricane, abnormally warm waters filled the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Meteorologists claimed this was global warming.
If you would like to help donate to survivors of Helene, several organizations, including the Red Cross and National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, are seeking assistance from the public.