Hurricane Helene: Death toll rises to 33 in Georgia, $417M in damages reported

VALDOSTA, Ga. - Nearly a week after Hurricane Helene devastated Georgia and other parts of the South, recovery efforts continue as the state works to restore power and provide aid to affected communities. Gov. Brian Kemp announced on Thursday that the death toll in Georgia has risen to 33, with close to 200 fatalities reported across the South. 

"Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to the families of those who have experienced this heartbreak and tragedy and to the communities affected," Kemp said during a press briefing. 

Among the victims, three people in Chatham County died from carbon monoxide poisoning due to improper generator use. Kemp emphasized the importance of keeping generators away from windows and doors to prevent further tragedies. 

As of Thursday morning, more than 260,000 Georgia customers remain without power, particularly in the eastern and southern parts of the state. Georgia Power has restored electricity to 85 percent of those initially affected, but many areas remain in the dark. 

Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency Director Chris Stallings reported that the estimated cost of the storm's damage in Georgia stands at $417 million, a figure he expects will "increase exponentially" as more counties report their losses. 

"The goal is to make sure every person that was impacted from the storm has the opportunity to recover," Stallings said. 

To assist with recovery efforts, approximately 2,000 members of the Georgia National Guard have been deployed statewide. Major General Richard D. Wilson of the Georgia National Guard noted the extensive work being done across the state. "This storm left a tremendous amount of devastation," Wilson said. "Just a lot of hard work going on just across the state." 

In addition to state efforts, President Joe Biden has authorized increased federal disaster assistance for Georgia. The federal cost share has been raised from 75 percent to 100 percent for the first 90 days following the storm, meaning Georgia will not bear any financial responsibility for the aid during that period. 

Gov. Kemp welcomed the news, thanking President Biden for his administration's support. "I thanked them for visiting, thanked the president for adding the additional counties to the disaster declaration," Kemp said. "I did tell him that I felt certain he would hear on the road that there's still a lot of other counties out there that are expressing frustration that they haven't been added to that list yet." 

Recovery efforts remain focused on providing aid to those in need. National Guard teams are clearing roads, restoring power lines, distributing meals, and setting up points of distribution. "They are working very hard," Kemp said. "Just incredible work." 

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In response to the storm, Kemp has also suspended the state gas tax to provide some economic relief to Georgians, particularly those in rural areas who are heavily reliant on fuel to power generators. 

"A lot of people in rural communities that we talked to yesterday are spending a lot on fuel right now responding to the storm, running generators to get their wells going to power their homes," Kemp said 

Georgia's state of emergency after Hurricane Helene

Earlier this week, Kemp extended Georgia's state of emergency to just before midnight on Oct. 9. The governor issued the executive order citing concerns over the potential disruption to supply chains and the well-being of Georgia residents. The order allows state agencies to allocate resources for relief efforts.

Kemp also announced a suspension of Georgia's gas tax to help lower costs and move goods and services to impacted areas. That order went into effect on Thursday.

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The governor said it may take a while to get the price down, but it will eventually save Georgians about 32 cents per gallon of regular gasoline and 36 cents per gallon of diesel fuel.

Kemp said that he hoped the price decrease will economically help Georgians who are using fuel to power their homes and generators.

Biden visiting Georgia to survey Helene damage

President Joe Biden will be in Georgia on Thursday afternoon to personally take in the scenes of toppled trees, damaged homes and lives upended.

The president is set to tour affected areas in Florida before flying to Valdosta to survey the storm's aftermath.

Biden's visit comes a day after Vice President Kamala Harris' own trip to the area, where she spoke with families impacted by the storm and handed out meals.

"I was just talking with one of the members of the community and her daughter who lost her husband," Harris said. "There is real pain and trauma there that has resulted from this hurricane and what has happened in terms of the aftermath of it." 

The vice president and Democratic presidential nominee promised that the federal government would do what it could to support the state and aid in the recovery.

"We are here for the long haul," she said.

Disaster assistance for Georgia families, organizations

The Biden Administration has worked with Kemp and state officials to approve a Major Disaster Declaration for 41 Georgia counties, which allows federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts.

The assistance can include low-cost loans for uninsured property losses, grants for home repairs and temporary housing, and other programs to help with recovery. The approval also allows for a one-time $750 payment to help with essential items like food, water, and baby formula.

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"The Major Disaster Declaration will begin to provide critical resources to the limited counties designated for Hurricane Helene. We are hopeful once more of the impacted areas receive proper damage assessments, the Declaration will add the necessary counties for Individual Assistance, Public Assistance Categories A through G, including increased federal cost shares for both emergency and permanent work," GEMA/HS Director Chris Stallings said. "Our priority remains the  safety and well-being of our residents, and we will continue to work alongside our local, state, and federal partners to provide the support needed during this challenging time."

On Thursday night, the declaration was expanded to four additional counties: Effingham, Elbert, Rabun, and Tift.

Residents and businesses can begin applying for assistance at www.disasterassistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621-3362, on the FEMA app, or at disaster recovery centers which will be set up across the state in the upcoming week.

The Biden Administration has also authorized the federal government to pay for 100% of the cleanup from Hurricane Helene for the first 90 days.