Two deaths have been reported in Washington County, Tennessee, following Hurricane Helene, bringing the storm’s death toll to at least 130 people across six states.
The two deaths were confirmed by Washington County Mayor Joe Grandy. As of Monday evening, 17 people remain unaccounted for in the county, he added.
Here’s the breakdown of deaths by state, according to CNN’s tally:
- North Carolina: 56
- South Carolina: 30
- Georgia: 25
- Florida: 11
- Tennessee: 6
- Virginia: 2
As communications across the region remained severed for many, the voices on the radio became a lifeline for locals in dire need of reliable information; sharing updates on road closures; opening the phone lines to anyone with working wireless or landline phones; and reassuring listeners that help is on the way from government organizations and volunteer groups.
WWNC, the oldest station broadcasting in western North Carolina, and six other stations owned by iHeartMedia came together to simulcast their coverage of the weather emergency, host Mark Starling told CNN during his marathon live broadcast. He signed off Sunday at 11 p.m. and started again Monday at 6 in the morning. “Please,” he said to listeners shortly after sunrise, “please take care of yourselves. If you need help, ask for it.” Then he repeated the station’s phone numbers again.
With some ground-based communications in tatters from the storm, Starling said the stations had resorted to using SpaceX’s satellite internet service Starlink to remain online. It’s “all we’ve got holding all seven stations on the air,” he said.
Wilson, who recounted that she couldn’t get in touch with her father for two days after the storm hit on Friday, recalled working in New Orleans earlier in her career, where colleagues divided time into “before Katrina and after Katrina.” She said she suspects Helene will be the same dividing line for some North Carolina communities.
The loss of life has been “massive,” she said on the air, and “we know the numbers are going to go up.”
“It will now be known as pre- and post-Helene,” Foxx agreed.
“The landscape has changed,” in some cases literally, Starling said, as floodwaters and landslides disfigured some towns.
‘I’ve never seen anything like this’: Devastated North Carolina communities face long road to recovery
In the wake of the storm, WWNC and other local news outlets region produced indispensable service journalism as communities reeled from the disaster. Top stories on the Asheville Citizen-Times home page Sunday included “where to get gas, groceries, wifi, water” and “how to stay safe during boil water advisory.” Blue Ridge Public Radio provided live coverage on the radio and online, including lists of “who to contact” for help with missing persons and power outages.
Foxx recited a popular saying from the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, commenting to listeners, “We’re all in this together and we’re all going to make it through this together.”
The hosts passed along information about where to find ice and bottled water, how to access cellular and WiFi connections, and when to expect power to be restored. Wilson told CNN, “We’ve had people calling all day long trying to locate other people.”
Starling said the radio network’s live coverage began on Thursday as Helene approached Florida’s Gulf Coast. “Our stations remained on the air throughout the entirety of the storm,” he told CNN. Starling said he had been taking naps at the station ever since and hadn’t been home yet. His wife and son evacuated to his brother’s house in Georgia for the time being.
“My wife and I reconnected live on the air this afternoon,” Starling said via email. “Today was the first time I had heard her voice when she called in to the show.”
A public service ethos was evident during Sunday night’s live segments. “We’re not going anywhere,” Starling said on air. “Until the last bit of debris has been cleaned up, until the last drop of water has dried, we’re here.”
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