In pictures. Rescue efforts are underway after the deadly passage of Hurricane Helene in the United States

At least 24 people died in South Carolina, 17 in Georgia, 11 in Florida, ten in North Carolina and one in Virginia, according to a report compiled from statements by local authorities. Hélène made landfall in northwest Florida on Thursday evening as a category 4 hurricane on a scale of 5, with winds blowing at 225 km/h.

A “real tragedy”

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation caused by Hurricane Helene,” US President Joe Biden said on Saturday. “The road to recovery will be long,” he added.

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee have declared federal states of emergency. More than 800 personnel from the Federal Disaster Management Agency (FEMA) have been deployed.

Rescue teams are still working to restore power and deal with the consequences of the massive floods which destroyed homes, roads and businesses. But their efforts are hampered by rugged terrain and blocked access routes. According to the monitoring site poweroutage.us, more than 2.7 million people were still without electricity Saturday evening in ten states, from Florida to southeast Indiana.

On Cedar Key, an island of a few hundred inhabitants on the west coast of Florida, the roofs of houses were torn off and the walls gutted. “It breaks my heart to see this,” said Gabe Doty, a municipal employee. “Many houses have disappeared, the market has disappeared. The post office has disappeared. This is a true tragedy, and it will be difficult to rebuild. »

The storm then continued its path through several American states, causing landslides and intense flooding, as far as Asheville in North Carolina. “This is one of the worst storms in modern history for parts of western North Carolina,” state Governor Roy Cooper said at a news conference Friday. evening.