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Disaster

Helene’s cost could be 600 lives, $160B in damages

Published

9 months ago

5 minute read

From The Center Square

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AccuWeather recorded more than 30 inches of rain in two locations and estimated damage between $145 billion to $160 billion, up from weekend estimates by others of $95 billion to $110 billion.

Six hundred people are unaccounted for, and one of North Carolina’s hardest-hit counties by the remnants of Hurricane Helene on Monday said at least 35 have died.

Six states total at least 121 fatalities, many places in the Blue Ridge Mountains have yet to be checked because of failed infrastructure, and critical aid is being rushed to survivors of historic flooding. Buncombe County, where Asheville is county seat, had withheld a fatality number pending notification of kin, a protocol made more troublesome by lack of power, internet and cellphones in many big pockets throughout the region.

Twenty-five years to the month after people in the mountains of the state and elsewhere sent resources to eastern North Carolina for the 500-year flood caused by Hurricane Floyd, convoys of bottled water, cleaning supplies and necessities were heading west. AccuWeather recorded more than 30 inches of rain in two locations and estimated damage between $145 billion to $160 billion, up from weekend estimates by others of $95 billion to $110 billion.

South Carolina and Georgia each lost 25 lives, and Florida 11, according to published reports.

Asheville has been like many other locales along North Carolina’s stretch of the Appalachian Mountains – only reachable by air. At 4 p.m. Eastern on Monday, DriveNC.org reported 432 total road closures due to Helene – nine interstates, 25 federal highways, 42 state highways, and 356 secondary roads.

More than 150 have been cleared since the storm began, U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., said in a release. He also shared that his district – the southern-most part of the mountain range bordering Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina – should have most of its service from Duke Energy operable by Friday.

More than 600 National Guardsmen have been deployed to western North Carolina, their mission bolstered by high-water vehicles, palletized load systems and forestry support teams for debris clearance. They were expected Monday.

AccuWeather said rainfall totals were 32.51 inches in Jeter Mountain, 31.36 inches in Busick, and 26.65 inches in Hughes. From Asheville, Jeter Mountain is about 40 miles due south not far from South Carolina, Busick is about 40 miles northeast just off the Pisgah National Forest, Hughes about 70 miles northeast near Sugar Mountain.

Gov. Roy Cooper said he expects, as crews reach more areas that are yet to be accessed, the fatalities total will rise. White House Homeland Security Adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall said Monday, “It looks like there could be as many as 600 lost lives. We know there are 600 who are either lost or unaccounted for.”

President Joe Biden, before departing Dover Air Force Base aboard Air Force One, on Monday said, “It really is amazing. You saw the photographs. It’s stunning.”

The 81-year-old, besieged from the public by health questions halting his attempt for reelection on July 21, said he would visit the North Carolina areas when safe and not an intrusion on recovery and relief efforts.

Vice President Kamala Harris, No. 2 in charge of his incumbent administration, changed her campaign plans so she could visit the Southeast this week, newswire Reuters said.

The images Biden referred to have blitzed the internet many in the region can’t access. Some structures floated off foundations and went down roads in whole; others were torn apart by the downhill rapids, splintered and spread as if dropped by a tornado. In published reports, residents were aghast at the magnitude and offered “never seen anything like it” over and over.

They would have had to remember July 1916, when six straight days of rain started July 5. It was associated with a hurricane coming out of the Gulf of Mexico that weaved from the Mississippi-Alabama line to eastern Tennessee, and a second one that made landfall in Charleston, S.C., on July 14.

Asheville, at 94,589 easily the largest city in the state west of Winston-Salem near the Virginia border and Charlotte toward South Carolina, has a city water system damaged and has been cordoned by a mudslide blocking Interstate 40. Going west, I-40 is closed because two eastbound lanes fell into the Pigeon River along a mountainside about 4 miles from Tennessee.

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Disaster

Texas flood kills 43 including children at Christian camp

Published on July 6, 2025

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MXM logo MxM News

Quick Hit:

Flash flooding in Kerr County, Texas has left at least 43 people dead—including 15 children—after a wall of water tore through camps and neighborhoods along the Guadalupe River. Among the victims were young girls attending a Christian summer camp, as families grieve and recovery efforts intensify.

Key Details:

  • Officials confirmed Saturday that 43 people have died—28 adults and 15 children—following early Friday morning floods in Kerr County. Seventeen victims remain unidentified.
  • Four young girls who died—ages 8 and 9—were attending Camp Mystic, a nearly 100-year-old Christian summer camp for girls. Dozens of campers were briefly unaccounted for.
  • The camp’s director, Dick Eastland, was among the dead after reportedly racing to a cabin in an effort to save girls trapped in rising waters. Another local camp director also died.

Diving Deeper:

Texas is reeling from one of the deadliest flash floods in recent memory, with at least 43 confirmed dead—including 15 children—after floodwaters surged through Kerr County early Friday morning. Officials said 12 adults and five children have yet to be identified.

Much of the devastation centered around the historic Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp for girls situated along the Guadalupe River, where dozens of campers were swept up in the flood. Family members have since confirmed that four of the victims—8-year-olds Renee Smajstrla and Sarah Marsh, and 9-year-olds Janie Hunt and Lila Bonner—had been attending the camp.

Renee’s uncle reportedly wrote on Facebook that she was “living her best life at Camp Mystic.” Sarah’s family shared that the Alabama girl was “a spunky ray of light,” while Lila’s relatives described their pain as “unimaginable.”

The camp’s longtime director, Dick Eastland, died heroically while trying to rescue girls from a cabin as waters rushed through the grounds. Another director, Jane Ragsdale of the nearby Heart O’ the Hills Camp, was also killed. Though her camp wasn’t in session, she was on the property when the flood struck.

Camp Mystic, which serves hundreds of girls each summer, was left in ruins. “The camp was completely destroyed,” said 13-year-old Elinor Lester, who was among those rescued. Photos show cabins torn open, trees ripped from the ground, and bunk beds submerged nearly to the top by river water.

As many as 27 girls at the camp were swept up by the flooding, but several have since been reunited with their families. Ashley Flack, whose daughter attended Mystic, said Saturday, “There are lots of families missing, children and friends… Our daughter is safe. Our son is safe. The operation to get the girl camp out did a good job.”

Rescue missions pulled at least 858 people to safety, and eight were reported injured. Officials noted that while other nearby camps were also impacted, those campers have been accounted for and are awaiting evacuation as crews work to repair damaged roads.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott expanded a disaster declaration on Saturday to include 21 counties. More than 1,000 state personnel and 800 vehicles are assisting in rescue and recovery, while FEMA, the Texas National Guard, and Coast Guard aircraft have been deployed to aid in the search.

President Trump posted on Truth Social Saturday, saying: “Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy. Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!”

Forecasters say more rain could fall over the next 48 hours, raising the risk of additional flooding across Central Texas. The Guadalupe River last saw similar tragedy in 1987, when 10 teenagers died after a church bus was swept away.

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Alberta

New teams will boost Alberta wildfire preparedness

Published on May 25, 2025

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Alberta’s government is investing almost $7 million to create six new Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) teams to protect communities at risk from wildfires.

In response to increased wildfire activity in recent years, Alberta’s government is taking action to better safeguard communities and strengthen the way emergencies are responded to. This includes record investments in equipment and personnel, as well as targeted strategies to enhance local firefighting capacity, readiness and resilience.

Alberta’s government is responding proactively to wildfire threats by funding six local fire departments through the Wildland Urban Interface Program to boost wildfire preparedness and response capabilities. This initiative quadruples the number of existing Wildland Urban Interface teams, ensuring a stronger, more coordinated effort to protect communities from potential wildfire emergencies.

“Alberta’s government continues to make critical investments to strengthen the way emergencies are handled. We are effectively quadrupling the number of Wildland Urban Interface teams in Alberta to ensure the safety of Albertans’ businesses, neighbourhoods and critical infrastructure during wildfires.”

Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services

“Firefighting teams like this can truly make the difference when it comes to protecting Alberta’s communities. Having more Wildland Urban Interface teams improves our capabilities and adaptability when our wildland firefighting teams are fighting fires across Alberta.”

Todd Loewen, Minister of Forestry and Parks

The Wildland Urban Interface Program targets zones where developments such as homes, farms or industrial sites border or mix with natural vegetation at risk from wildfire. Fires that occur in these transitional areas between forests, grasslands and populated communities are often challenging and demand the expertise of both wildland and structural firefighters. Wildland Urban Interface teams consist of firefighters who have the specialized training and equipment needed to respond to wildfires that enter a community or where developed areas meet wildland areas.

This program is a partnership between the provincial government and local authority fire services and includes funding from Natural Resources Canada. The province is responsible for coordination and funding, while local fire departments contribute personnel, firefighting equipment and resources. The expansion of this program will enhance the overall deployment of specialized resources across the province and improve municipal fire service capacity through additional training and technical support.

“The announcement of almost $7 million in funding to quadruple the number of Wildland Urban Interface teams will strengthen Alberta’s wildfire preparedness and significantly improve safety for Strathmore residents. As the local MLA, I am proud to support the growth of these versatile teams, which are deployed across the province to support municipalities like ours and reinforce our local firefighting capabilities.”

Chantelle de Jonge, MLA for Chestermere-Strathmore

“Strathmore’s firefighters have repeatedly shown their skill, commitment and leadership during emergency deployments. Participation in the WUI Program allows us to strengthen those capabilities, enhance regional partnerships, and help build a sustainable response model for our community and province.”

Pat Fule, mayor, Town of Strathmore

Each new Wildland Urban Interface Team will receive $1.09 million over two to three years for personnel costs, administrative support, equipment, maintenance and travel costs to help develop and expand the program’s training and operational capacity.

The local authorities receiving funding are:

  • Town of Strathmore
  • Town of Hinton
  • Town of Slave Lake
  • Lac La Biche County
  • Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council
  • Kananaskis Improvement District

There are two existing teams based out of Clearwater County and the Town of High Level.

Quick facts

  • Funding for the Town of Hinton, Town of Slave Lake, Lac La Biche County and Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council is shared equally between Natural Resources Canada and Alberta Forestry and Parks.
  • Funding for the teams based in the Town of Strathmore and Kananaskis Improvement District will be provided by the Alberta Emergency Management Agency.
  • Each team will receive a total of $1.09 million for a combined total of close to $7 million.

Related information

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