RALEIGH, NC (October 18, 2024) ⇒ There are 95 verified storm-related fatalities in North Carolina as of Friday, October 18, 2024 for Hurricane Helene. The numbers are updated daily. The information is verified through official channels and is subject to change based on investigation.
It is important to note that only emergency responders tasked with supporting fatality management after the storm are qualified to move, document and transport decedents. Anyone else who encounters evidence of a person who has died, or a family who needs help with a loved one who has died, should call emergency services for assistance.
A total of 39 people remain unaccounted for in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene as of Friday, October 18, 2024.
“The Department of Public Safety formed a task force to find who is still unaccounted for and focus efforts where needed,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said during a briefing Tuesday. “The task force, law enforcement, and other partners will continue working to locate those who are unaccounted for, and I am thankful for their efforts.”
Cooper added, “the number of those unaccounted for will continue to fluctuate as more reports come in and others are resolved.” As of Friday, October 18, 2024, it dropped from 89 to 39 according to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.
| County | Number of Fatalitites |
|---|---|
| Ashe | 1 |
| Avery | 4 |
| Buncombe | 42 |
| Burke | 1 |
| Catawba | 1 |
| Cleveland | 2 |
| Gaston | 1 |
| Haywood | 5 |
| Henderson | 7 |
| Macon | 2 |
| Madison | 4 |
| McDowell | 1 |
| Mecklenburg | 2 |
| Mitchell | 2 |
| Polk | 1 |
| Rowan | 1 |
| Rutherford | 3 |
| Wake | 1 |
| Watauga | 2 |
| Yadkin | 1 |
| Yancey | 11 |
Source: Number of Fatalities
Types of death:
-
Motor Vehicle Drownings: 4
-
Motor Vehicle Crash (includes hydroplane cases): 3
-
Wind/Tree Trauma: 6
-
Drowning: 20
-
Landslide: 11
-
Blunt Force Injuries: 11
-
Unknown Circumstances: 34
-
Other: 5
-
Environmental Exposure: 1
Source: Types of Death
Published: Oct. 14, 2024 at 5:01 PM EDT
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