The devastation of Hurricane Helene that was unleashed across Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia has caused more than 230 casualties.
For weeks it was reported that the survivors of Hurricane Helena had no way of reaching each other to know if they were still alive.
“The Department of Public Safety formed a task force to find who is still unaccounted for and focus efforts where needed,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said during a briefing Tuesday.
“The task force, law enforcement, and other partners will continue working to locate those who are unaccounted for, and I am thankful for their efforts.”
Cooper added that the number of those unaccounted for will “continue to fluctuate as more reports come in and others are resolved.”
On Oct. 21, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety told Fox News Digital that 21 out of 89 people who were unaccounted for were found with access to Wifi.
Justin J. Graney, Chief of External Affairs and Communications for North Carolina Emergency Management, has told Fox News Digital there are “wide area searches taking place since [Hurricane Helene] took place.”
“This includes grid searches, vehicle searches, damaged structure searches, and searches around areas where debris have collected. Hundreds of responders have conducted said searches,” Graney said. “Many of these types of situations were thankfully resolved when communications systems were brought back online and family and friends were able to connect once again,” Graney said.
“This storm brought historic rain and damage to one of the most beautiful regions in our state. In the face of this catastrophic disaster, North Carolinians have come together to help each other and begin to move forward,” he also said. “The road to recovery will be long, and we will be with Western North Carolina every step of the way.”
