COLUMBIA, S.C. — At least 29 people have died in South Carolina as a result of Helene.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and other state officials held a news conference in Columbia to discuss their ongoing efforts to help the people impacted by Helene. McMaster was joined by the South Carolina Emergency Management Division and other state agencies that are participating the storm response.
"We have power lines tangled up with limbs and trees," McMaster said. "It's dangerous... That's why power companies must go in before chainsaw crews."
It could be a week or more before power is restored.
South Carolina's power grid is in a "rebuild" phase as opposed to the standard "recovery" phase, Rob Hochstetler, the president and chief of the Central Electric Power Cooperative in South Carolina. Hochstetler said some areas saw "utter destruction."
McMaster encouraged residents to get their information from trusted sources. He dispelled misinformation that said Columbia's water system was being knocked out. The governor said that the rumor simply isn't true.
More than a 100 people have been confirmed killed by the storm. In South Carolina, at least 29 people have died. Buncombe County, North Carolina, which includes the mountain city of Asheville, reported 30 people killed. Georgia's death count was raised Monday from 17 to 25.
Deaths also were reported in Florida and Virginia.
President Joe Biden described the impact of the storm as “stunning” and said he would visit the area this week as long as it does not disrupt rescues or recovery work. In a brief exchange with reporters, he said the administration is giving states “everything we have” to help with their response to the storm.
Hurricane Helene roared ashore late Thursday in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane with 140 mph (225 kph) winds. A weakened Helene quickly moved through Georgia, then soaked the Carolinas and Tennessee with torrential rains that flooded creeks and rivers and strained dams.
At it's peak, almost 1.4 million homes and businesses were without power, according to PowerOutage.US, a website that totals up numbers from utility companies nationwide. As of Monday afternoon, about 721,000 customers were still without electricity.
The South Carolina Emergency Management Division said they've created the Helene information line at the following number: 1-866-246-0133. People who have questions about the storm can call operators with the State's Public Information Phone System 24 hours a day. The number will be available for as long as needed.
The Associated Press contributed to this report