the u.s. department of defense dispatches 1,000 active-duty soldiers to reinforce areas affected by hurricane helene
2024-10-03
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china news service, washington, october 2 (reporter chen mengtong) the pentagon announced on the 2nd that at the request of the u.s. federal emergency management agency, the u.s. secretary of defense has authorized the dispatch of 1,000 active-duty soldiers to reinforce areas affected by hurricane helene.
category 4 hurricane helene (equivalent to a super typhoon) made landfall in florida late at night on september 26, and then moved northward, causing flash floods and mudslides in the mountainous areas of the southeastern united states, including florida, georgia, south carolina, north carolina, and tennessee. and virginia and six other states reported fatalities. according to data updated by the associated press on the 2nd, hurricane helene has killed at least 180 people in the southeastern united states.
the pentagon stated that in addition to these active-duty soldiers, the u.s. national guard has mobilized more than 6,500 personnel from 12 states, as well as hundreds of rescue vehicles and dozens of helicopters to carry out rescue operations in the disaster area.
u.s. president biden went to north carolina and south carolina to inspect the disaster situation that day. "we will not leave until you have fully recovered," he said in north carolina. "our mission is to help as many people as quickly and thoroughly as possible."
north carolina was the hardest hit. affected by "heleni", many places in the state received more than 61 centimeters of rainfall and suffered once-in-a-century floods. the tourist town of asheville, located in the western mountains of the state, was hit hard. at least 57 people were killed in the town and surrounding areas alone.
u.s. vice president and democratic presidential candidate harris went to georgia that day to inspect the disaster relief work and visit the affected people.
u.s. public opinion pointed out that north carolina and georgia, which were severely affected this time, are key swing states in the 2024 u.s. election. the response to hurricane helene not only tests the emergency management capabilities of the biden-harris administration, but also concerns a the election situation in the next month.
according to white house sources, biden will continue to visit florida and georgia on the 3rd to inspect the disaster situation. harris also plans to go to north carolina in the near future to visit local people affected by the disaster. (over)
