Hurricane Helene becomes the third-deadliest storm of this century

Authorities reported that at least 201 people were killed by Hurricane Helene, half of them in North Carolina, where many towns were ravaged by the storm.

With the figure, Helene is the third-deadliest hurricane in the country since Katrina in 2005 (1,392 deaths). The deadliest remains Maria, which killed more than 2,000 people (including those in Puerto Rico) in 2017.

Despite hundreds of rescues across six states and a massive response by more than 10,000 federal troops assisting local responders, the storm's death toll is expected to rise, as many residents remain unaccounted for in a mountainous region known for its remote areas.

"We are still searching for survivors," stated Buncombe County, North Carolina, in its latest update, as reported by AFP. This county was the epicenter of the tragedy, where more than 60 people have been confirmed dead.

This Thursday, the natural phenomenon was in Florida, whose northwest coast was hit by Helene as a Category 4 (out of 5) hurricane a week ago. Now, it will head for Georgia.