Officials in North Carolina have reported another Hurricane Helene death, nearly two months after the storm unleashed devastating flooding throughout the Southeast.
Before sweeping across the Southeast and dumping over 30 inches of rain in some areas of western North Carolina, Helene made landfall in Florida on September 26. As a result, homes, highways, and other important infrastructure were destroyed by devastating water.
With 231 fatalities spread over seven states, the storm also claimed a substantial number of lives. Nevertheless, there have been further storm victims almost two months after the flooding incident occurred, even though recovery efforts are still ongoing.
A 40-year-old man in Yancey County lost his life on November 12 when the gravel truck he was transporting to assist with storm cleaning overturned. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) reports that his death is the 103rd to occur in North Carolina since Helene’s landfall.
Although drownings during the storm accounted for the majority of North Carolina’s fatalities, officials have already noted that deaths after cleanup operations are not unusual.
Numerous studies indicate that there is a “significant health risk” following a hurricane due to chainsaw injuries, blunt-force trauma, and carbon monoxide poisoning, according to FEMA.
Several people have lost their lives while removing debris and felling trees in the weeks following Helene. People with illnesses that prevent them from getting oxygen or who passed away due to complications are examples of additional post-storm victims.
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Additionally, teams are still recovering bodies from flood debris.
Buncombe County, which is home to Asheville, and other severely affected cities like Swannanoa and Black Mountain account for the majority of North Carolina’s recorded fatalities. 43 people have died as a result of the storm, according to the county.
