Authorities rushed to airlift supplies and restore communications and roads in flooded Asheville, North Carolina, on Sunday as residents along the storm-battered Florida coast gathered for church services amid the wreckage of Hurricane Helene.
Massive rains from the powerful Helene left people stranded, without shelter and awaiting rescue around the U.S. Southeast. Cleanup continued Sunday from a tempest that killed at least 64 people, caused widespread destruction across the southeastern states and knocked out power to several million people.
Rescuers save 41 people in one mission near Asheville
Well over 50 search teams have fanned out across the North Carolina mountains to help rescue people in danger after Hurricane Helene.
The efforts saved 41 people in one mission north of Asheville as well as rescuing an infant. The teams were finding people through both 911 calls and messages on social media, North Carolina Adjutant General Todd Hunt said.
“These swift water rescues are going on now, as we speak,” Gov. Roy Coper said at a Sunday afternoon news conference.
Floridians worship
As the sun rose over Florida’s Big Bend on the Sunday after Hurricane Helene battered the region, many houses of worship were still dealing with power outages, damaged roofs and hurricane debris — and the knowledge that many of their congregants are shouldering another hit from a devastating storm.
In Florida's Big Bend, some lost nearly everything they own, emerging from the storm without even a pair of shoes. With sanctuaries still darkened in a county where as of Sunday morning, 97% of customers were without power, some churches canceled regular services while others like Faith Baptist Church in Perry opted to worship outside.
Standing water and tree debris still covers the grounds of Faith Baptist Church. The church called on parishioners to come “pray for our community” in a message posted to the congregation’s Facebook page.
“We have power. We don’t have electricity,” parishioner Marie Ruttinger said. “Our God has power. That’s for sure.”
North Carolina Pastor Jim White (video below) is calling the historic event "North Carolina's Katrina."