Among the 119 people killed in North Carolina during Hurricane Helene are at least two people who were found dead after recovery from the floods commenced in Buncombe County. Officials attribute their deaths to a “lack of basic necessities.”
In an update from the N.C. Medical Examiner’s Office, officials say two women – an 84-year-old and a 72-year-old – were found on Sept. 29. They died, officials wrote, “as a result of lack of basic necessities.”
The names of victims of Hurricane Helene have not been publicly shared by state or local leaders.
In the mountains, the youngest victim confirmed to have been killed in the storm was a 7-year-old boy who drowned. Further east, in Catawba County, a 4-year-old girl died in a car accident on a flooded road, which first responders had closed due to safety concerns.
Deaths in Asheville, Buncombe
The latest report from Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office indicates 72 deaths have been confirmed locally. In addition, state leaders report 47 other fatalities across 19 counties.
In Western North Carolina counties alone, 111 people have been found dead. Sparse details in the official reports on deaths provide some information about the last moments of the victims:
- One woman in Madison County was killed on Sept. 27 as she tried to evacuate her home during flooding. Her car was swept away in floodwaters a short distance from her house, officials say.
- Two people killed in Rutherford County died due to a tree falling on them. Six other similar deaths were reported in other counties.
- Days after widespread flooding and landslides, the body of a woman in McDowell County was recovered from a collapsed home. Officials note at least 11 deaths were caused by landslides.
- At least 27 of those who lost their lives are believed to have drowned or have been found in waterways or along the side of rivers. More, however, died from causes that haven’t been specified or concluded.
How many people have died?
While the grim statistic of the number of people killed has been rising, search and rescue and recovery efforts are ongoing across the region. In some cases, local emergency responder reports on fatalities are higher or different than the state’s report.
“We are aware there are additional reports of decedents, and our team is working to verify that these are storm-related deaths. Life-saving activities will always take priority, and we will continue to work to update this information as appropriately as possible,” state officials have said.
To report on updates as accurately as possible, BPR News has checked information on fatalities from across available counties and in twice-daily updates from state officials. With the exception of Buncombe County’s report on deaths, the total number of 119 deaths reflects official data from the N.C. Medical Examiner’s Office.