The toll from a catastrophic storm that struck the southeastern United States has risen to at least 130, igniting a fervent discussion in an already contentious election season, with the White House vehemently denying allegations of a slow response.
As hundreds remain unaccounted for across multiple states, President Joe Biden declared his intention to visit North Carolina tomorrow to oversee rescue operations.
President Biden accused former president Donald Trump of disseminating falsehoods, following Trump’s unsubstantiated claims that the federal government was neglecting the crisis caused by Hurricane Helene and withholding aid from his supporters.
“He’s lying,” President Biden stated to reporters at the White House, adding that he had contacted North Carolina Governor Ray Cooper and expressed, “I told him he’s lying. I don’t know why he does it … that’s simply not true, and it’s irresponsible.”
During a CNN appearance, Governor Cooper, a Democrat, responded to Trump’s allegations of Republican victims being overlooked, saying: “It doesn’t matter who you are. If you need assistance, we will provide it.”
“If there’s ever a moment that we all need to unite and set aside politics, it is now.”
The storm and its resulting flooding claimed at least 130 lives—57 in North Carolina, 29 in South Carolina, 25 in Georgia, 14 in Florida, four in Tennessee, and one in Virginia—according to local authorities and media sources.
Rescue personnel continued searching for hundreds of missing individuals across the impacted states, where heavy rains caused widespread devastation.
They also focused on restoring water and power to affected areas, reestablishing mobile phone service, clearing fallen trees, delivering supplies, and enrolling people in disaster aid programs.
Leo Grindstaff, 12, assists his brother Gabe, 4, as they walk to their grandparents’ home to help salvage belongings following Hurricane Helene in Old Fort, North Carolina.
As President Biden prepares for his trip to North Carolina, Mr. Trump visited Georgia yesterday, another region suffering extensive damage.
Both states are critical swing locations where the upcoming presidential election will be determined in just five weeks.
In Valdosta, Mr. Trump pledged to “bring a significant amount of relief items, including fuel, equipment, water, and other essentials” to those affected.
“The federal government is not responsive,” he told reporters. “The vice president, she’s out somewhere, campaigning, fundraising,” he added, referring to his electoral opponent, Kamala Harris.
“We’re not discussing politics right now,” he later stated, sporting a bright red ‘Make America Great Again’ hat amid the wreckage of a furniture store.
Ms. Harris canceled campaign engagements to return to Washington for a briefing on the national response.
Workers, community members, and business owners clear debris in Marshall, North Carolina.
“In recent days, our nation has faced some of the most severe destruction and devastation we’ve encountered in quite some time,” she remarked afterward.
“We have reacted with our best, with the most capable individuals on the ground engaging in the essential work of addressing a crisis.”
In response to Mr. Trump’s assertions that he was “asleep” while dealing with the storm aftermath, President Biden defended his decision to spend the weekend at his Delaware home, stating he was working “the whole time.”
Volunteers assist in organizing donated items at Art Post Supplies and Studios for individuals affected by the devastation in Durham, North Carolina.
When a significant natural disaster strikes the United States, the federal government acts at the request of the states. Typically, a president’s role is to supervise and coordinate assistance, including financial support.
Experts indicate that climate change likely contributes to the rapid intensification of hurricanes, due to warmer oceans providing more energy for these storms, a point emphasized by Mr. Biden.
“Absolutely, positively, unequivocally, yes, yes, yes, yes,” he affirmed to reporters in the Oval Office when asked if climate change was responsible for the destruction caused by the storm.
A view of the damage in Asheville, North Carolina.
The sheriff’s office in Pinellas County, Florida released information about the nine fatalities there, nearly all of whom were discovered in their residences.
According to reports, most had drowned, while others were buried under debris.
In Georgia, residents experienced power outages, supply shortages, blocked roads, and disrupted communication lines in often rugged terrain, with Governor Brian Kemp describing the storm as a “250-mile wide tornado.”
Governor Cooper of North Carolina stated that countless roads were destroyed, and many communities had been “erased from the map.”
“This is an unprecedented storm,” he remarked to reporters. “The emotional and physical toll here is beyond words.”
Read more: Son pays tribute to Cork man who died in Hurricane Helene
