### Historic Flooding Devastates Southeastern States Following Hurricane Helene

**Asheville, NC** – The remnants of Hurricane Helene have caused unprecedented flooding and landslides across North Carolina, exceeding all expectations and overwhelming emergency planning, according to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. Speaking on "Face the Nation," Criswell remarked that the region is facing more damages than anyone could have anticipated.

Helene first made its presence felt when it hit Florida's coast as a Category 4 hurricane late Thursday. The storm's wrath extended across the southeastern United States, impacting Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Criswell described the event as "a true multi-state event," with widespread and severe consequences in each state.

Asheville has been particularly affected, with rising floodwaters causing significant damage to roads, cutting off power, and disrupting cellphone services. FEMA has had teams on the ground for several days focusing on search and rescue operations, with additional teams being dispatched. Water damage continues to be a "big concern," and the Army Corps of Engineers is assessing solutions for restoring water systems. Efforts to improve satellite communication are also underway.

“There’s been significant damage to infrastructure, especially to water systems, communication networks, roads, and critical transportation routes,” Criswell said. “Several homes have been destroyed, making this a particularly complex recovery effort across the five impacted states.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has reported multiple fatalities due to the storm across these states and advises residents looking for missing persons to call 211 to register their information.

Criswell noted that in Florida, storm surge levels reached up to 15 feet in Taylor County, with record surges recorded across the Big Bend area. In North Carolina, search and rescue operations are still active, with the state grappling with ongoing floods and landslides. Criswell plans to visit Georgia and North Carolina soon to personally assess the hurricane’s impact.

FEMA is confident in its resource availability for the affected states and can mobilize additional support from other federal agencies. "We absolutely have enough resources from across the federal family,” Criswell assured. “Our goal is to help these communities rebuild more resiliently to withstand future storms."

The recovery is expected to be challenging, but Criswell emphasized FEMA's commitment to supporting the affected states and helping them recover more robustly.