Photo: Marcia Straub / Moment / Getty Images
These updates are for Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024:
UPDATE: 6:00 AM ET
President Biden is heading to Georgia and Florida today after visiting South Carolina. The president was in the Palmetto State on Wednesday to survey the impacts of Hurricane Helene. Biden arrived at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport before taking an aerial tour of areas hit by the storm. Governor McMaster met with President Biden to inform him of recovery efforts that are underway.
Greenville County Schools are remaining closed as they assess the conditions of bus driving routes. The district is canceling all activities through Sunday. On Friday, district members will be surveying 370 bus routes to decide if safe transportation to schools is possible. The district will also determine how many teachers have power and internet access as they consider the possibility of eLearning.
These updates are for Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024:
The South Carolina death toll from Hurricane Helene is now 36. That's according to a Department of Public Safety update on Tuesday. There were still over 600,000 people without power in the Palmetto State as of Tuesday. That's down from a peak of one-point-three million people without power on Friday.
President Biden will visit the Carolinas today. The president is expected to tour areas hit hard by Hurricane Helene. Biden will meet with local and state officials to be briefed on recovery efforts. It has not yet been made public which areas of the state the president will be visiting today.
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The South Carolina death toll from Hurricane Helene is now 36. That's according to a Department of Public Safety update on Tuesday. There were still over 600-thousand people without power in the Palmetto State as of Tuesday. That's down from a peak of one-point-three million people without power on Friday.
These updates are for Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024:
New information from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety indicates 29 people have died in the state as a result of Hurricane Helene. Governor McMaster held a briefing at the state's emergency operation center in West Columbia on Monday. At the briefing, officials say over 500 homes were damaged in the storm in 15 counties. As of Monday night, over half a million people were still without power due to storm damages.
A State Forester's Burning Ban is in effect for 20 counties starting this morning. The ban means all outdoor burning is prohibited- except for fire used to prepare food in proper enclosures. The counties under the burning ban are Abbeville, Aiken, Anderson, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union and York. The South Carolina Forestry Commission says the ban will be in effect until further notice.
Greenville County will begin picking up storm debris on Wednesday. The roadside pickups will include those who live in unincorporated areas of the county. Downed trees should be placed along the roads carefully. Additional resources include a bottled water and ready-to-eat meal distribution at McAllister Square from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. There's also a medical shelter for those who need electricity for their medical needs at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
These updates are for Monday, Sept. 30, 2024:
UPDATE: 1:00 PM ET
President Biden has declared that a major disaster exists in South Carolina and ordered Federal aid to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Helene.
The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Aiken, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Cherokee, Greenville, Greenwood, Lexington, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Saluda, and Spartanburg.
Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.
UPDATE: 5:30 AM ET
The death toll in South Carolina from Hurricane Helene is now at 27. This exceeds the number of deaths from historic flooding in the Palmetto State in 2015. Since Helene's impacts, six deaths have been reported in Spartanburg County, at least five people were killed in Greenville County, four storm-related deaths were reported in Aiken County, and four people died in Anderson County. In Saluda County, two volunteer firefighters and two residents were killed.
UPDATE: 5:30 AM ET
The death toll in South Carolina from Hurricane Helene is now at 27. This exceeds the number of deaths from historic flooding in the Palmetto State in 2015. Since Helene's impacts, six deaths have been reported in Spartanburg County, at least five people were killed in Greenville County, four storm-related deaths were reported in Aiken County, and four people died in Anderson County. In Saluda County, two volunteer firefighters and two residents were killed.
These updates are for Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024:
UPDATE: 8:30 PM ET
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster says the death toll is rising in South Carolina in the aftermath of Helene.
"Tragically we have lost, we believe, 25 of our people due to this storm. We don't want to lose anymore," said McMaster who said cleanup crews are dealing with downed power lines that are lying in debris. He also said crews are making progress getting the lights turned on. He said at the height of the storm, there were 1.3 million power outages. As of Sunday evening, that number was down to less than 900,000.
"We haven't seen anything like this before, particularly in this part of the state," said McMaster.
UPDATE: 7:30 PM ET
Prisma Health have released a list of physician practices that will be closed on Monday. Click HERE for the list.
UPDATE: 5:30 PM ET
In North Carolina, at least 200 roads are closed including Interstate 40 and Interstate 26 at the Tennessee-North Carolina border, according to the state's road closures map. The I-40 closure near the state line has been designated long-term. The I-40 is also closed at Old Fort Mountain, NCDOT projected that it will reopen by noon on October 1st. State Emergency Officials have warned people not to travel in or to Western North Carolina.
UPDATE: 4:40 PM ET
At least 30 people are dead in the Asheville, North Carolina area after Hurricane Helene. Officials just updated the death toll.
People are stranded or missing, homes and buildings flattened, power is out for most of the area, and roads washed away. Buncombe County Manager Avril Pinder says rescue crews have been working non-stop and the desperation grows with nightfall coming. Over 15,000 utility crew members from across the U.S. are working to restore the power.
UPDATE: 4:00 PM ET
Massive destruction is being sifted through in Ashville, North Carolina after Hurricane Helene ripped across the state. The storm brought devastating winds and flooding with rescues taking place in multiple parts of the region. The western part of the state was hit particularly hard and led to dozens of road closures, including Interstate 40. Standing water is a huge problem and many parts will be without power for some time. On top of that, cell service is very spotty in a lot of areas, making it tough for folks to check on their friends and family.
President Biden says the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene is a tragedy. While speaking to reporters at Dover Air Force Base, Biden said FEMA officials are on the ground in Florida working to address the situation. At least 60 deaths have been reported in the southeast as a result of Helene. The Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana bore the brunt of the storm.
UPDATE: 12:15 PM ET
At least ten people are dead and there are 1,000 missing person reports in the area of Asheville, North Carolina. In an interview with CBS' "Face the Nation," Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell said western North Carolina has been devastated by floods and mudslides from the remnants of Hurricane Helene.
"I don't know if anybody could be fully prepared for the amount of flooding and landslides they are experiencing right now," said Criswell. "This is really historic flooding up in North Carolina and especially this western part of North Carolina."
"In North Carolina, we are still in active search and rescue mode. They're still having flooding issues and landslides and so we are actively working on search and rescue missions," said Criswell.
UPDATE: 9:20 AM ET
Greenville County Schools will be closed on Monday, September 30, and Tuesday, October 1. With widespread power and Internet outages, eLearning is also not possible. Officials say once they have better estimates of when power and Internet will be restored, they will announce plans for Wednesday,
Spartanburg One schools will be closed on Monday and Tuesday. School officials say during this time, teams will work to assess and repair any damages to the school facilities and will continue to provide updates. There will be no e-learning requirements during this closure. They say they understand the challenges many in the community are facing, including power and cellular outages. "The safety and well-being of our students, staff, and their families remain our top priority," said the district. "Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the storm. Please stay safe, Spartanburg One!"
Anderson County Districts will observe an eLearning Day on Monday.
Pickens County School District says all schools in the district will be closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Cherokee County School District will be closed Monday and Tuesday.
Union County Schools will be closed this coming Monday and Tuesday.
Furman University says all Furman classes and activities are canceled through at least Wednesday. The campus will also remain closed.
UPDATE: 5:00 AM ET
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has requested an Expedited Major Presidential Disaster Declaration to assist state and local response efforts to Hurricane Helene.
The Presidential Disaster Declaration, if approved, would provide Federal Emergency Management Agency Individual Assistance Program help to residents impacted by the storm in Aiken, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Cherokee, Chesterfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Lexington, Oconee, Newberry, Pickens, Saluda and Spartanburg counties.
The Public Assistance Program reimburses applicants for the unexpected, extraordinary costs of recovering from a major disaster. The Federal Emergency Management Agency pays 75% of this aid, and the division of the remaining 25% will be determined at a later date.
The governor's request also includes FEMA Hazard Mitigation Program grants to help lessen the impact of future disasters.
The City of Greenville posted an update on Saturday night:
ACTIVE DOWNED POWERLINES That is biggest impediment for cleanup and the greatest safety hazard for citizens. We have the manpower for tree clearing and cutting. We need utility assistance before we can make that happen. An assessment of neighborhoods and major roadways by the Mayor, City Manager and Fire Chief shows there is much work to be done in our neighborhoods. Public Works crews are on 12 hour shifts clearing everything that is safe to clear. We appreciate your patience as we work with state and federal officials to bring in as many resources as possible to help during this disaster.
A third of all Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative members now have power as crews continue restoration work through historic damage. Engineers continue to reiterate that this remains a multi-day recovery. They also believe the positive momentum generated today will carry into Sunday and that outages will continue to decrease. Another 26 line personnel from Tennessee are arriving Sunday. Outside crews from Alabama, Michigan, Ohio and Virginia are already on the ground. Officials say this was the worst storm in the area in over 20 years.
Duke Energy said workers continue to encounter major challenges accessing areas across the North Carolina mountains and Upstate of South Carolina, limiting the company’s ability to assess damage and provide customers with estimates for when power is likely to be restored. Duke Energy is working with local and state officials to gain access to the hardest-hit areas where roads are obstructed. The company is also supplementing its damage assessment efforts with helicopters and drones and will publish estimated power restoration times as soon as possible.
"“Historic flooding, debris and road closures remain an incredible challenge to assessing the severe damage to our system and restoring power in the North Carolina mountains and South Carolina Upstate,” said Jason Hollifield, Duke Energy storm director for the Carolinas. “Our crews appreciate our customers’ patience and support as they continue working around the clock to safely and quickly restore power.”
Hendersonville County issued a "state of emergency." Officials were urging residents to stay off the roads to allow emergency and power crews to do their job.
A mandatory curfew is underway in Hendersonville County. It will be in effect from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. daily until conditions improve.
Deaths are being confirmed in Asheville, North Carolina from the severe flooding that has hit the region. Over 400 roads and several major highways were shut down in North Carolina because of flood damage.