Hurricane Helene Death Toll Tops 160

Hurricane Helene caused mass devastation across the southern states, with some outlets saying the current death toll is nearly 180.

Death Toll by State:

• Florida: 13
• Georgia: 25
• North Carolina: 77
• South Carolina: 36
• Tennessee: six
• Virginia: two

Damages: The category 4 hurricane caused an estimated $145 to $160 billion in damages. Over 2 million are still without power. Water delivery has also been a problem, with over 450 roads closed in the Carolinas. President Biden has issued emergency declarations for Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, and more than 800 FEMA personnel have been deployed to aid disaster response.

How the Media Covered It: The Guardian (Lean Left), the Washington Post (Lean Left), and CBS News (Lean Left) linked the severity of the storm to climate change. The Post also covered criticism of Trump's response to the hurricane—when KamalaHQ posted a clip of Trump saying, "You'll be okay," some argued Trump was downplaying the severity of the hurricane. Some outlets on the left also mentioned that Biden would visit the affected states later this week, without mentioning Trump's plans to visit Georgia. Outlets on the right were more likely to mention Trump's visit, and the Federalist (Right bias) criticized Biden and Harris' lack of response, saying they "seem to have bigger things to worry about."