**Nearly 100 Missing in North Carolina After Hurricane Helene's Devastation**

Nearly 100 residents of North Carolina remain unaccounted for over two weeks after Hurricane Helene ravaged the region, Governor Roy Cooper announced on Tuesday. As search and rescue teams continue their efforts, officials report that the storm has already claimed 95 lives in the state.

Governor Cooper, during a news conference, revealed that the tally of 92 missing individuals is subject to change as more information becomes available and cases are resolved. He pointed out that the initial recovery phase was hindered by widespread communication blackouts, complicating the process of reporting missing persons.

Communities in western North Carolina, particularly Asheville, are still struggling to recover from the hurricane's aftermath. Thousands of residents are without power, clean water, and navigable roads due to the destruction caused by Helene.

Hurricane Helene, which initially made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm, brought torrential rains across the Southeast, resulting in over 200 fatalities across multiple states. The storm wreaked havoc on the mountainous areas between western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, leading to significant flooding that obliterated homes and roads, leaving many communities isolated.

Federal, state, and National Guard personnel have been deployed to aid in the recovery efforts. Governor Cooper noted some progress, citing a reduction in power outages from nearly one million to just under 13,000 and a decrease in road closures from about 1,200 to approximately 580.