Flooding and landslides strike southern Appalachians after hurricane pummeled region and wreaked havoc
More than 50 people are confirmed dead and almost 3.5 million are without power on Saturday, after strong winds and torrential rain from Hurricane Helene wreaked unprecedented havoc across large swathes of the south-eastern United States.
Historic flooding continued over parts of the southern Appalachians on Saturday, as first responders worked to reach stranded communities in trying conditions while local authorities began to assess the scale of the damage and displacement.
“It looks like a bomb went off,” said Georgia’s governor, Brian Kemp, after surveying the damage from the air on Saturday.
I dunno how Americans do it, but from life in the tropics dealing with monsoons and cyclones, we fill up the bath tub the day before we’re expected to get hit. Then we have plenty of water for drinking, washing, and cooking.
Most times it’s not needed because civil infrastructure is built for the environment, but some times water is shut off or compromised for a few days. I’ve also had pipes rupture while flooded in for a few days, so water was suddenly dirty, and my bath water become a supply for a few neighbours until floods receded enough for services to come in with water. Sounds a bit wild, but it’s kind of normal in places like that. It’s all part of the “day before routine”.