Communities across the southeast are in rescue and recovery mode after Hurricane Helene barreled through last week, leaving more than 100 people dead across six states while many more remain missing. Hundreds of roads are closed — especially in the Carolinas — making it hard to get much-needed supplies to ravaged areas and restore power. About two million homes and businesses still are without electricity.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said in a press conference on Sunday, Sept. 29, the state is facing “an unprecedented tragedy.” FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told CBS News her agency is doing everything it can to help.
“Was North Carolina, in particular, prepared for this level of flooding? Have they ever dealt with anything of this magnitude?” Anchor Robert costa asked on Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.
“This is really, Robert, historic flooding up in North Carolina, especially this western part of North Carolina,” Criswell said. “I don’t know that anybody could be fully prepared for the amount of flooding and landslides that they are experiencing right now.”
Criswell said FEMA is working to get bottled water to communities in need, not just in North Carolina, but in other hard-hit states, and they’re working to enable communications through SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network.