At least 118 people have lost their lives and 600 people are still missing, according to President Joe Biden, who warned that the toll could still seriously rise. This is one of the most devastating hurricanes in recent decades, according to the American media. The management of the disaster has taken a political turn.
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“ There are 600 people we haven’t heard from » after the passage of Hurricane Helene, declared Liz Sherwood-Randall, homeland security adviser to the American president, saying she hoped that some of these people would be “ envy », while the officially confirmed toll currently stands at 118 dead.
Four days after the hurricane made landfall in northeast Florida, the extent of the damage remains difficult to establish, with several areas remaining inaccessible and lacking telephone networks and electricity. Helene hit Florida on Thursday evening as an “extremely dangerous hurricane” of category 4 on a scale of 5, then crossed other American states while losing intensity.
Georgia and North Carolina, two states particularly affected by this natural disaster, are among the seven pivotal states that could swing the presidential election on November 5.
“The federal government is not responsive,” Trump says in Valdosta
Donald Trump visited Valdosta, a disaster-stricken town in Georgia, on Monday. The Republican presidential candidate in November pledged to “ bring plenty of emergency supplies, including fuel, equipment and water » to those in need.
“ The federal state is not responsive”castigated the former president on the spot, after having earlier accused the government and Democratic authorities in North Carolina of “deliberately not helping people in Republican areas”.
Wearing his usual red cap, Donald Trump also directly attacked his Democratic rival Kamala Harris, accusing her of being “ on the move, campaigning » before asserting himself that it was not the moment “ to talk politics “.
The vice-president had, however, canceled campaign events to hold a meeting on Monday on the disaster and announced that she would go there soon.
“He’s lying,” Biden retorts
“ He lies “, retorted a virulent Joe Biden. “ What makes me angry (is that he) implies that we are not doing everything that is possible. (…) It’s wrong and it’s irresponsible “.
Joe Biden brushed aside criticism from Republicans over his management of the crisis. “ I spent at least two hours on the phone yesterday, as well as the day before “, he retorted, assuring that the federal authorities would be “ there as long as necessary “. The Democrat also announced that he would travel to North Carolina on Wednesday. He had previously indicated that he would not travel as long as it could disrupt relief operations.
Impressive damage
In the affected states, rescuers continued to work on Monday to try to find survivors and bring food to residents hit by the disaster, sometimes cut off from the world.
In the southern Appalachian Mountains, Hélène caused flash flooding with impressive damage.
Images from around Asheville, North Carolina, show neighborhoods wiped off the map, roads destroyed by a flooded river. Due to lack of access by road, the authorities are sending relief supplies, water and foodstuffs by air.
In North Carolina, the death toll stands at at least 49, including 40 in Buncombe County alone where Asheville is located. At least 25 people also died in South Carolina, 25 in Georgia, 14 in Florida, four in Tennessee and one in Virginia, according to a report compiled by AFP from statements by local authorities.
As of Monday afternoon, more than 1.7 million homes and businesses were still without power, according to the poweroutage.us website.
Donald Trump announced that he had asked Elon Musk, the boss of SpaceX to whom he is close, to deploy his Starlink satellite internet service in the region.
Also readUnited States: Hurricane Helene hits five states and leaves at least 91 dead