Among the 121 people killed in North Carolina during Hurricane Helene, one more person has been confirmed dead in Avery County.
The report from the NC Department of Health and Human Services brings the number of fatalities in Avery County up to four total including a 58-year-old man who may have been involved in a house collapse.
Yesterday, there were 120 deaths in North Carolina including 112 in 23 Western North Carolina counties and eight fatalities in counties further east such as Mecklenburg.
Local emergency management, EMS, the NC Medical Examiner System and Office of Chief Medical Examiner staff are working cooperatively with FEMA to respond to fatalities related to Hurricane Helene in North Carolina.
The state count is delayed as some local sheriff’s offices are reporting search and rescue efforts before being additionally confirmed at the state level.
For example, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed 72 fatalities in the county as of Oct. 3. In the official state numbers at 4 p.m., there were 40 fatalities confirmed in the county.
“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,” NC DHHS spokesperson said in an email.
The names of victims of Hurricane Helene have not been publicly shared by state or local leaders.
Anyone seeking assistance locating a loved one who is missing or unaccounted for can call 2-1-1.
“Every death related to a hurricane is a tragedy. If a family or individual is seeking assistance with a loved one who has died, emergency responders are available in every impacted county to provide help and ensure their loved one is treated with the dignity and respect they deserve, and that information gets reported back through the appropriate channels as needed,” NCDHHS spokesperson said in an email.
Deaths in Western North Carolina
In the mountains, the youngest victim confirmed killed in the storm was still a 7-year-old boy who drowned.
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:
- Three people, a 60-year- old female, a 50-year- old female and a 60-year- old male were killed in Henderson County on Sept. 29 after a home was overcome with flood waters. There are four confirmed fatalities in the county.
- A 37-year-old female died in Madison County on Sept. 27. Officials say she was evacuating her home due to rising flood waters and her car was swept away by floodwaters a short distance from her home. There are four confirmed fatalities in the county.
To report on updates as accurately as possible, BPR News checks 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 121 deaths reflects official data from the N.C. Medical Examiner’s Office.