RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The National Hurricane Center released their report on Hurricane Helene nearly six months after it devastated the Florida Gulf Coast and the North Carolina mountains.
The Category 4 hurricane made landfall late September 26, 2024 in the Big Bend region of Florida, bringing deadly storm surge, strong winds, tornado outbreaks and catastrophic flooding well away from the coastline.
The report released Wednesday states that Helene caused 248 deaths, including 175 direct fatalities, which makes in the deadliest hurricane for the United States since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Katrina is reported to have caused the deaths of more than 1,800 people, with 520 of those being direct fatalities.
Helene-related deaths
North Carolina had the most direct deaths (85) due to Hurricane Helene with eight caused by the wind, and 77 caused by freshwater flooding. Georgia had the next highest number of fatalities with 28, followed by 26 in South Carolina, 18 in Florida, 15 in Tennessee, 2 in Virginia and 1 in Indiana.
Freshwater flooding was the biggest killer with 94 of the 175 people who lost their lives in the hurricane attributed to flooding. At least 70 people passed away due to "indirect" causes, bringing the death total up to at least 248.
It's important to distinguish what a "direct death" is. A direct death, according to the report, is from the direct forces of the tropical cyclone, like drowning in storm surge, rough water or freshwater flooding, but also lightning and anything wind-related like the collapse of a home or building.
A heart attack, house fire, electrocution from damaged or downed powerlines or any vehicle related death due are considered "indirect." This is an important clarification as we unfortunately know that many more people lost their lives in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Monetary damage
Helene was estimated to have caused at least $78.7 billion in damage across the United States. Adjusted to 2024 dollars, that makes Helene the 7th costliest U.S. hurricane behind Katrina (2005), Harvey (2017), Ian (2022), Maria (2017), Sandy (2012) and Ida (2021). Most of the damage occurred in North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, eastern Tennessee and southwestern Virginia.
Tornadoes
Hurricane Helene also spawned 39 tornadoes across the United States, including the EF-3 that tore through Rocky Mount in Nash County, Friday, September 27, 2024. Of the 39 total tornadoes, three were in Florida, three in Georgia, 21 in South Carolina, nine in North Carolina (including the Rocky Mount tornado) and three in Virginia.
An EF1 tornado near Cordova, South Carolina was 1,100 yards wide and is now the widest tornado produced by a tropical cyclone since records of tropical cyclone produced tornadoes have been kept (since 1995.)
Flooding and storm surge
Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic flooding, especially in North Carolina where as much as 30" of rain fell from September 25-27. This historic rainfall not only caused the devastating flooding, but also widespread landslides.
At least 2,000 landslides were reported, with most of those occurring in western North Carolina. 34 flash flood emergencies were issued due to the flooding Helene caused, with 32 of those emergencies also issued across western North Carolina.
Sixty three river and stream gauges went over the record flood levels for those locations, mainly in northwestern South Carolina, southwestern North Carolina, northeastern Tennessee and southwestern Virginia. Also of note, more than eight feet of storm surge was estimated between Cedar Key and Horseshoe Beach Florida, and more than 12 feet of surge from Steinhatchee to Keaton Beach, Florida.
Hurricane Helene was the deadliest Hurricane in the United States in nearly 20 years.
If you want to read more, you can see the the National Hurricane Center's full report below.