(photo: Reddit, Important_Ad5014)

County Death Toll Update for Western NC

(USA Today, Jacob Wilt) — The loss of life caused by Hurricane Helene passed a grim milestone Wednesday. Deaths caused by the hurricane nationwide surpassed 160 people, making Helene the second deadliest hurricane in the U.S. this century. That number was surpassed only by Katrina in 2005, which killed 1,392 people.

In North Carolina, officials say 73 people are confirmed dead thus far, with that number expected to rise as rescue crews search for missing persons. The vast majority of those deaths occurred in Buncombe County.

Here’s the North Carolina death toll by county as of Thursday morning on Oct. 3. All data is provided by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, unless otherwise noted.

  • Yancey: Nine
  • Henderson: Six
  • Avery: Three
  • Madison: Three
  • Cleveland: Two
  • Rutherford: Two
  • Watauga: Two
  • Burke: One
  • Catawba: One
  • Gaston: One
  • Macon: One
  • Mecklenburg: One
  • Polk: One
  • Yadkin: One

The NCDHHS confirmed a range of causes of death due to Helene’s excessive wind and rainfall. The following are the most common causes of death:

  • Unknown circumstances: 17
  • Drowning: 15
  • Landslide: Ten
  • Wind/tree trauma: Five
  • Motor vehicle drownings: Four
  • Blunt force injuries: Four
  • Motor vehicle crash: Three
  • Other: Two