Death toll going to get ‘drastically worse’: NC Sheriff on Hurricane Helene aftermath

The Southeast is reeling in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene - the deadliest storm to hit the U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Rowan County, North Carolina Sheriff Travis Allen joins José Díaz-Balart to describe the destruction in the area and the recovery efforts underway.



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#HurricaneHelene #NorthCarolina #Weather

[jamesaleman]

Population 17, 000+ for that county, so 30 percent is more than 5, 100 people that can't get to food and water..That is one county, where is the national guard?

[AnnaHaney-md]

I live in a holler, we were trapped for three days. We got ourselves out, but we almost didn't. :(

[Fuphyter]

My son and his girlfriend live in Asheville. They are ok. This was a horrendous hurricane. My heart love and prayers go out to all affected. Thank you to all helping. They need it so desperately. ❤

[pamelaleonardi]

Not sure why our military equipment isn’t being used to help all these people, there are so many bases in NC alone.

[Kanoee]

I can't express
how disappointed
I am with my
government.

[abelincoln]

Sorry don't donate to Red Cross.. they will use your donations as they please your donation may not go to this storm or victims of this storm at all.. trust me ask them..

[ChuckyRed]

Donate to local farmers and local businesses, DO NOT DONATE to these government charities. Prop up your communities.

[wixpgdi]

Thats a very poor area...what about all the homeless and people who live off the grid? Not being counted!

[Thadopeera]

They never talk about the rich history of these towns destroyed by the storm as many folks have never heard of good ole Asheville..

[baulsmahoney]

The area is completely devastated and FEMA is broke. Can’t pay or help these poor people

[abelincoln]

Red Cross CEO salary .. $694, 000 a year, Gail J. McGovern

[EveryoneIsEqual]

Thank you for all search and rescue workers

[Cyclersix]

Where is FEMA? Where is Harris? Where is Biden??? Where is the national guard??? Donate through Samaritan Purse!!!

[udkocqn]

People not from Western North Carolina just don't understand the terrain. 95% of Western North Carolina is CONSTANTLY undulating mountains. 95% of it is also thick dense forest. From April through late October, it's almost like a mountain jungle. And unlike out west, it has TONS of tiny rural country lanes and gravel roads with very few zoning laws. Outside of cities like Vegas or Phoenix, there's vast unpopulated areas. But outside of Asheville, there's still TONS of populated little villages, towns, "hollers", and communities. And all those areas are #1- Difficult to analyze from the air due to the dense tree cover (which still have leaves on for another month), #2- very hard to land helicopters (because there's not many flat, tree-less areas to do so), and #3- all those tiny rugged country lanes are washed out or have countless fallen trees covering them. The effected mountainous terrain (which includes parts of Tennessee, north Georgia, upstate South Carolina, and western Virginia) is home to 1.5 million people. This is like trying to figure out a "death toll" in an area larger than Massachusetts, where 1.5 million people were when this happened, and the whole area has terrain that looks like Costa Rica or Vietnam in almost jungle-like density of mountainous forest, with thousands of road blocks from trees and washouts, completely destroyed infrastructure and telecommunications, and colder temperatures in the near future. And it's not just "death from flooding rivers". It's also "death from countless steep mountain landslides", "death from thousands of trees falling on wooded homes", and now "death from being in poor health relying on meds and oxygen and such and now being trapped for weeks with none of that, no plumbing, running water, electricity, etc." I'll be shocked if the death toll is less than 500. I won't be surprised at all if it's over 1, 000. This is the Appalachian Katrina.

[rockercater]

*GOD BLESS THE FIRST RESPONDERS HELPING PEOPLE* *CATER*

[ernesthofmeister]

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the remainder of hurricane season, yet $640 million has been allotted to DHS specifically for issues related to illegal immigrants.

[debbiedean]

Love and prayers to all of you suffering from devastation and heartbreak, ✝️🙏❤️

[seanschisler]

Theses states need love and hope not a dysfunctional government from both sides yelling Republican or Democrat but everyone coming together to help our people in a time of need.

[ridawiscowgirl]

Can’t believe your worried about criminals more than people that haven’t broke the law. Our tax dollars support prisons.

[Positively]

Thank you Sheriff. It’s just unimaginable!