Report finds poor local management and climate change amplified Hurricane Helene's impacts

A new analysis by the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health (UNU-INWEH) reveals alarming statistics about the catastrophic impacts of Hurricane Helene on 26 September 2024. This powerful Category 4 hurricane claimed 230 lives, marking it as the deadliest storm to hit the mainland US since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The destruction was immense, with over 31,000 buildings affected and a staggering US$12.5 billion in threatened property value across the hardest-hit regions.