Helene death toll tops 130 as crisis unfolds in western North Carolina

Helene’s devastation came into focus Tuesday morning as rescue crews continued to search for Americans unaccounted for and trying to reach areas that were isolated by the storm. The death toll topped 130.

From Florida to Virginia, tens of thousands remained without power Tuesday morning — days after Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, reaching up to 140 mph wind speeds. The system weakened as it quickly moved island, but not before causing catastrophic flooding across multiple states in the Southeast.