Washington (dpa) – According to media reports, the number of deaths after storm “Helene” in the southeast of the USA has risen to more than 90. At the beginning of the week, millions of those affected were still suffering from the severe consequences of the strongest storm to date in this region.
As CNN reported on Sunday evening (local time), citing local authorities, more than 90 people were killed in a total of five states. North Carolina was particularly hard hit.
Strong winds brought down trees, power lines and cell towers across the region. Relief supplies had to be brought to isolated towns by air. According to the newspaper “USA Today,” more than two million people were still cut off from power on Sunday evening. The number of deaths could rise even further, it was said.
“Helene” made landfall on the Gulf Coast in the northwest of the state of Florida on Thursday evening (local time) as a hurricane in the second highest category with wind speeds of up to 225 kilometers per hour. The media spoke of the strongest hurricane ever to hit the Big Bend region. Big Bend refers to the stretch of coast where the North American continent merges into the Florida peninsula.
“Helene” later weakened into a tropical storm and continued north over the Appalachians before dissipating completely. US President Joe Biden had already promised help to those affected at the weekend.
Hurricane season runs until the end of November
Tropical cyclones form over warm ocean water. According to experts, increasing global warming is increasing the likelihood of strong storms. Hurricane season in the Atlantic begins on June 1st and lasts until November 30th.
The storms are named in alphabetical order. In the northern part of the Atlantic, tropical storm “Isaac” made its way on Monday, while further south the low pressure area “Joyce” slowly moved towards the American continent.
