The South cleans up after being devastated by Hurricane Helene
Thousands are still without clean water and the modern necessities of electrical power and cell service. More than two dozen water plants in North Carolina are either offline or were swept away by the hurricane. Several local restaurant owners have set up shop in the streets across the region offering free meals.
Transcript
Clean up is slow in the path of Hurricane Helene as basic infrastructure needs are being restored even though the effects of the storm could be felt for decades.
Thousands are still without clean water and the modern necessities of electrical power and cell service. More than two dozen water plants in North Carolina are either offline or were swept away by the hurricane. Several local restaurant owners have set up shop in the streets across the region offering free meals.
The death toll has already passed 200 with dozens more listed as missing. Many families continue to hold out hope that their relatives will be found alive.
Helene came ashore late last week bringing high winds, torrential rains and raging flood waters. The storm rolled over Florida wreaking havoc and then headed north devastating parts of Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia. The hurricane dropped 40 trillion gallons of rain on the Southeast, enough precipitation to fill Lake Tahoe.
President Joe Biden met with North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper to survey the damage and then followed up with a visit to Florida. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump viewed damage in Valdosta, Georgia while Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris spent time with hurricane victims in Augusta, Georgia.
For Market to Market, I’m David Miller.
contact: miller@iowapbs.org