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AP News Digest 2 p.m.

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AP News Digest 2 p.m.
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AP News Digest 2 p.m.

2024-09-30 01:59 Last Updated At:02:00

Here are the AP’s latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EDT. Find the AP’s top photos of the day in Today’s Photo Collection. For up-to-the-minute information on AP’s coverage, visit Coverage Plan in AP Newsroom.

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Supporters of the OVP, Austrian People's Party, hold "Thank You" banners at the party headquarters in Vienna, Austria, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, after seeing the first electoral projections in the country's national election. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

Here are the AP’s latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EDT. Find the AP’s top photos of the day in Today’s Photo Collection. For up-to-the-minute information on AP’s coverage, visit Coverage Plan in AP Newsroom.

Workers install a huge portrait of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on a building at Enqelab-e-Eslami (Islamic Revolution) Sq. in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Workers install a huge portrait of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on a building at Enqelab-e-Eslami (Islamic Revolution) Sq. in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

People gather at the site of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

People gather at the site of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Alabama running back Jam Miller (26) celebrates his touchdown with offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Georgia, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

Alabama running back Jam Miller (26) celebrates his touchdown with offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Georgia, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

A member of the Bolivarian Militia holds up a painting depicting President Nicolas Maduro during a rally celebrating Maduro's July 28 reelection, in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez)

A member of the Bolivarian Militia holds up a painting depicting President Nicolas Maduro during a rally celebrating Maduro's July 28 reelection, in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez)

Vehicles are partially submerged on a flooded street in the aftermath of Hurricane John in Acapulco, Mexico, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Alejandrino Gonzalez)

Vehicles are partially submerged on a flooded street in the aftermath of Hurricane John in Acapulco, Mexico, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Alejandrino Gonzalez)

In this aerial image of the Kathmandu valley, Bagmati River is seen flooded due to heavy rains in Kathmandu, Nepal, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gopen Rai)

In this aerial image of the Kathmandu valley, Bagmati River is seen flooded due to heavy rains in Kathmandu, Nepal, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gopen Rai)

Boats sit after being pushed ashore by floodwaters from Hurricane Helene on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Boats sit after being pushed ashore by floodwaters from Hurricane Helene on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Shiite Muslims light candles during a protest against the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, in Karachi, Pakistan, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

Shiite Muslims light candles during a protest against the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, in Karachi, Pakistan, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

The Israeli Iron Dome air defense system fires to intercept rockets that were launched from Lebanon, as seen from Safed, northern Israel, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner)

The Israeli Iron Dome air defense system fires to intercept rockets that were launched from Lebanon, as seen from Safed, northern Israel, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner)

People check the site of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

People check the site of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

People check the site of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

People check the site of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

People check a damaged building at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Choueifat, south east of Beirut, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

People check a damaged building at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Choueifat, south east of Beirut, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

WEEKEND COVERAGE

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For weekend stories, please click here for the Weekend Lookahead digest.

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TOP STORIES

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MIDEAST-TENSIONS — Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon have killed dozens of people as the Hezbollah militant group sustained a string of deadly blows to its command structure, including the killing of its overall leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah confirmed Nabil Kaouk, the deputy head of the militant group’s Central Council, was killed on Saturday, making him the seventh senior Hezbollah leader slain in Israeli strikes in a little over a week. SENT: 1,190 words, photos, videos. With MIDEAST-TENSIONS-THE-LATEST; ISRAEL-LEBANON-WHAT TO KNOW; LEBANON-ISRAEL-ASSINATION-SITE — AP images offer a close-up look at the smoldering site of Nasrallah’s assassination; VATICAN-MIDEAST — Pope Francis suggests Israel’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon are disproportionate and immoral (all sent).

TROPICAL-WEATHER — The U.S. Southeast grappled Sunday with rising death tolls, lack of vital supplies in isolated, flood-stricken areas and widespread loss of homes and property while the devastating toll of Hurricane Helene became clear to officials who warned of a lengthy and difficult rebuild. The death toll — now at least 60 people — was expected to continue rising. By Kate Payne and Jeffrey Collins. SENT: 1,140 words, photos, videos, audio. With TROPICAL-WEATHER-THE-LATEST; HELENE-LONG-REACH — How Helene became the near-perfect storm to bring widespread destruction across the South (both sent).

ELECTION-2024-CHURCHES-BALLOT-GATHERING — Conservative Christian churches in California and prominent figures around the United States like activist Charlie Kirk are urging congregations to get involved in ballot gathering or ballot harvesting, a practice which is legal in 35 states including California. Proponents believe this will be an important tool for conservative Christians to have a voice in national and local elections, especially on issues such as abortion, gender and sex education in schools and immigration. By Deepa Bharath. SENT: 1,480 words, photos.

AUSTRIA-ELECTIONS — The Freedom Party is headed for the first far-right win in a national parliamentary election in post-World War II Austria, finishing ahead of the governing conservatives after tapping into voters’ anxieties about immigration, inflation, Ukraine and other issues, a projection showed. But its chances of governing were unclear. By Stephanie Liechtenstein. SENT: 840 words, photos.

JAILHOUSE-INFORMANT-LIFE-SENTENCE — A Pennsylvania man who has served 43 years of a life sentence for murder is still pursuing appeals. Steve Szarewicz insists he didn’t do it, but so far his claim hasn’t persuaded the courts. He was convicted of killing 25-year-old Billy Merriwether near Pittsburgh in 1981. But a prosecutor from that time says the case was “no prize.” That’s because it was built entirely on the shifting accounts of four jailhouse informants. By Mark Scolforo. SENT: 2,060 words, photos. An abridged version is also available.

ENERGY-TRANSITION-GEOTHERMAL — At oil and gas giant Shell, Cindy Taff was in charge of drilling wells that are considered unconventional because the oil or natural gas is difficult to access. When she learned about geothermal energy — energy from the heat of the Earth — she wanted Shell to use its drilling know-how to pursue a clean energy alternative. That didn’t happen and Taff left a 36-year career at the company to become the chief operating officer at Sage Geosystems in Houston, Texas, a startup that aims to make clean electricity. SENT: 1,080 words, photos.

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SPOTLIGHTING VOICES

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CALIFORNIA-TRIBAL-LANDS-DISPUTE — A Northern California tribe’s chances of owning a Las Vegas-style casino seemed like a dream as unlikely as hitting the jackpot. Now the Koi Nation has teamed up with the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma and moved a step closer to building a $600 million casino in the heart of California’s wine country. By Olga R. Rodriguez. SENT: 1,260 words, photos.

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RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR

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UKRAINE-HOSPITAL-CLOWNS — Two months after Russia bombed Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital, some of the young cancer patients who survived the strike are having their spirits bolstered by hospital clowns. At Okhmatdyt hospital in Kyiv, an initiative called the “Bureau of Smiles and Support” is going into the wards, cheering up the young cancer patients who survived the strike and returned to continue treatment. SENT: 800 words, photos, video. With RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR — Russia downs over 100 Ukrainian drones in one of the largest barrages of the war (sent).

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MORE NEWS

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FILM-BOX-OFFICE — “Megalopolis” flops for moviegoers, while “Wild Robot” soars to No. 1 at the weekend box office. SENT: 630 words, photos.

MEXICO-EL CHAPO-LAWYER-SINGER — She defended “El Chapo.” Now this lawyer is using her narco-fame to launch a music career. SENT: 1,220 words, photos.

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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ELECTION-2024-HARRIS — Vice President Kamala Harris is set to rally in Las Vegas on Sunday night as she and Republican Donald Trump continue to make frequent trips to Nevada, looking to gain momentum in the swing state as Election Day nears. SENT: 560 words, photo.

ELECTION-2024-TRUMP — Republicans seek to distance themselves from Donald Trump’s latest insults of Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, in which he called her “mentally disabled” during a rambling weekend rally in Wisconsin. SENT: 510 words, photo.

ELECTION-2024-NORTH-CAROLINA — Incumbent Democratic Rep. Don Davis and Republican challenger Laurie Buckhout are locked in a tight race for North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District. It’s the state’s only competitive race and one of the few toss-ups across the Southeast. Whoever wins in November could help determine control of the U.S. House. SENT 1,180 words, photos.

ELECTION-2024-DEBATE-EXPLAINER — Tim Walz and JD Vance might have the chance to reshape the political landscape Tuesday in their first and only debate. SENT: 880 words, photos.

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NATIONAL

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LONGSHOREMEN-STRIKE-THREAT — If roughly 45,000 U.S. longshoremen make good on their threat to strike beginning Tuesday, they could shut down 36 ports from Maine to Texas that handle about half the goods shipped into and out of the United States. A strike that lasts several weeks would force businesses to pay shippers for the delays, and some goods could arrive too late for the peak of the holiday shopping season. SENT: 1,170 words, photos.

LATINO-AFFAIRS-INDENTITY-SURVEY — Over the last few years, various terms have emerged to describe those in the U.S. with roots in Latin America and Spain. While “Hispanic” and “Latino” remain the most prominent, “Latinx” has become de-facto as a gender-neutral alternative. Yet only 4% or 1.9 million people use the term to describe themselves according to a Pew Research Center Study. SENT: 830 words, photos.

WINTER OLYMPICS-SALT LAKE CITY — In his first visit back to Utah since awarding Salt Lake City the 2034 Winter Games, the International Olympic Committee president seeks to ease worries that the city could lose its second Olympics if organizers don’t fulfill an agreement to play peacemaker between anti-doping authorities. SENT: 680 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY-GOING-LOCAL — The world’s greatest stage is the sprawling Midtown Manhattan complex where leaders meet each year to discuss humanity’s future. The most varied speeches at the United Nations General Assembly this year were delivered before the 193-member body and not the smaller, more powerful Security Council. Like the 15-nation council with its five vetoes, the UNGA devoted time to the Middle East, Russia, Ukraine and Sudan, but it also turned global attention to topics less known outside individual countries and regions. SENT: 1,220 words, photos. With UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY-PHILANTHROPY-YOUTH — Humanitarians enlist entertainers and creators to reach impassioned youth during United Nations week (sent).

BELGIUM-POPE — Pope Francis has wrapped up a troubled visit to Belgium by doubling down on his traditional views on women and abortion and demanding that Catholic bishops stop covering up for predator priests — a scandal that has devastated the church’s credibility around the globe. SENT: 1,020 words, photos, video, audio.

NEPAL-FLOODS — Rescuers in Nepal recovered dozens of bodies from buses and other vehicles that were buried in landslides near the capital Kathmandu, as the death toll from flooding rose to at least 148 with dozens missing, officials say. SENT: 240 words, photos, video.

MIGRATION-FRANCE-NEW-GOVERNMENT — France’s new government is set to take a hardline approach to migration issues as key officials have pledged to significantly reduce the number of people entering and staying illegally in the country. SENT: 900 words, photos.

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HEALTH/SCIENCE

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RING-OF-FIRE-ECLIPSE — A “ring of fire” eclipse of the sun will cross the Pacific and the tips of Argentina and Chile. During Wednesday’s annular solar eclipse, the moon will obscure all but a ring-shaped sliver of the sun. A partial eclipse will be visible at several locations including Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Hawaii. SENT: 390 words, photos.

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CLIMATE

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CLIMATE-CHABLIS-WINE — A hellish year of unpredictable weather marked by frost, hail, record rainfall and a dangerous fungus have left Chablis grape growers on edge. The 2024 vintage will be much smaller than usual, and winemakers who’ve spent years adapting to drier and hotter temperatures are now dealing with another impact of human-made climate change. SENT: 860 words, photos.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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LOS ANGELES THEATERS — In a time when streaming and a pandemic have radically transformed cinema consumption over the past decade, a growing number of mostly younger people are contributing to a renaissance of the Los Angeles independent movie theater scene. SENT: 1,190 words, photos, video.

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SPORTS

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FBC-T25-AP-TOP-25-TAKEAWAYS — No. 2 Georgia and No. 4 Alabama played a classic, a wild affair that included a 28-0 run by the Crimson Tide to start the game and a resilient comeback by the Bulldogs. SENT: 1,410 words, photos.

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HOW TO REACH US

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At the Nerve Center, Vincent K. Willis can be reached at 800-845-8450, ext. 1600. For photos, ext. 1900. For graphics and interactives, ext. 7636. Expanded AP content can be obtained from AP Newsroom. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 844-777-2006.

Supporters of the OVP, Austrian People's Party, hold "Thank You" banners at the party headquarters in Vienna, Austria, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, after seeing the first electoral projections in the country's national election. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

Supporters of the OVP, Austrian People's Party, hold "Thank You" banners at the party headquarters in Vienna, Austria, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, after seeing the first electoral projections in the country's national election. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

Workers install a huge portrait of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on a building at Enqelab-e-Eslami (Islamic Revolution) Sq. in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Workers install a huge portrait of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on a building at Enqelab-e-Eslami (Islamic Revolution) Sq. in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

People gather at the site of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

People gather at the site of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Alabama running back Jam Miller (26) celebrates his touchdown with offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Georgia, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

Alabama running back Jam Miller (26) celebrates his touchdown with offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Georgia, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

A member of the Bolivarian Militia holds up a painting depicting President Nicolas Maduro during a rally celebrating Maduro's July 28 reelection, in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez)

A member of the Bolivarian Militia holds up a painting depicting President Nicolas Maduro during a rally celebrating Maduro's July 28 reelection, in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez)

Vehicles are partially submerged on a flooded street in the aftermath of Hurricane John in Acapulco, Mexico, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Alejandrino Gonzalez)

Vehicles are partially submerged on a flooded street in the aftermath of Hurricane John in Acapulco, Mexico, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Alejandrino Gonzalez)

In this aerial image of the Kathmandu valley, Bagmati River is seen flooded due to heavy rains in Kathmandu, Nepal, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gopen Rai)

In this aerial image of the Kathmandu valley, Bagmati River is seen flooded due to heavy rains in Kathmandu, Nepal, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gopen Rai)

Boats sit after being pushed ashore by floodwaters from Hurricane Helene on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Boats sit after being pushed ashore by floodwaters from Hurricane Helene on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Shiite Muslims light candles during a protest against the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, in Karachi, Pakistan, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

Shiite Muslims light candles during a protest against the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, in Karachi, Pakistan, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

The Israeli Iron Dome air defense system fires to intercept rockets that were launched from Lebanon, as seen from Safed, northern Israel, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner)

The Israeli Iron Dome air defense system fires to intercept rockets that were launched from Lebanon, as seen from Safed, northern Israel, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner)

People check the site of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

People check the site of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

People check the site of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

People check the site of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

People check a damaged building at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Choueifat, south east of Beirut, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

People check a damaged building at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Choueifat, south east of Beirut, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

PERRY, Fla. (AP) — The U.S. Southeast grappled Sunday with rising death tolls, lack of vital supplies in isolated, flood-stricken areas and widespread loss of homes and property while the devastating toll of Hurricane Helene became clear to officials who warned of a lengthy and difficult rebuild.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Sunday that the death toll of 11 in the state was expected to rise from Hurricane Helene as rescuers and other emergency workers reached areas isolated by collapsed roads, failing infrastructure and widespread flooding.

Cooper, speaking at a press conference, said “we know there will be more” deaths and he asked residents to avoid traveling on roadways in western North Carolina not only to avoid dangers but to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles. More than 50 search teams have fanned out across the region in search of stranded people.

“Many people are cut off because the roads are impassable,” he said. Supplies were being airlifted to the region around Asheville, a city tucked in the western North Carolina mountains known for its arts, culture and natural beauty.

The rescue efforts included saving 41 people in one mission north of Asheville and an infant. The teams were finding people through both 911 calls and messages on social media, North Carolina Adjutant General Todd Hunt said.

The storm upended life throughout the Southeast. Authorities were rushing to airlift supplies and restore communications and roads in flooded Asheville, North Carolina, on Sunday as residents along the storm-battered Florida coast gathered for church services.

Hurricane Helene roared ashore in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane late Thursday with winds of 140 mph (225 kph).

From there, it quickly moved through Georgia, where Gov. Brian Kemp said Saturday that it “looks like a bomb went off” after viewing splintered homes and debris-covered highways from the air. Weakened, Helene then soaked the Carolinas and Tennessee with torrential rains, sending creeks and rivers over their banks and straining dams.

More than 60 people have been killed in total. Several million people were without power as of Sunday afternoon.

In Texas, Jessica Drye Turner begged for someone to rescue her family members stranded on their rooftop in Asheville, surrounded by rising flood waters. “They are watching 18 wheelers and cars floating by,” Turner wrote in an urgent Facebook post on Friday.

But in a follow-up message, which became widely circulated on social media on Saturday, Turner said help had not arrived in time to save her parents, both in their 70s, and her six-year-old nephew. The roof had collapsed and the three drowned.

“I cannot convey in words the sorrow, heartbreak and devastation my sisters and I are going through nor imagine the pain before us,” she wrote.

Western North Carolina was isolated because of landslides and flooding that forced the closure of Interstate 40 and other roads. There have been hundreds of water rescues, none more dramatic than in rural Unicoi County in East Tennessee, where dozens of patients and staff were plucked by helicopter from a hospital rooftop Friday.

The storm hovered over the Tennessee Valley into Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said.

It unleashed the worst flooding in a century in North Carolina. One community, Spruce Pine, was doused with over 2 feet (0.6 meters) of rain from Tuesday through Saturday.

The state is sending water supplies and other items toward Buncombe County and Asheville, but mudslides on Interstate 40 and other blocked highways are preventing the supplies from making it. The county’s own supplies of water were on the other side of the Swannanoa River, away from where most of the 270,000 people in Buncombe County live, officials said.

Law enforcement was making plans to send officers to places that still had water, food or gas because of reports of arguments and threats of violence, the sheriff said.

“If you will bear with us and be patient one more day — I hate to say that but I know how desperate water is in our community — but we are pushing as hard as we can to get them up the mountain,” Buncombe County Manager Avril Pinder said.

In Florida's Big Bend, some lost nearly everything they own, emerging from the storm without even a pair of shoes. With sanctuaries still darkened in a county where as of Sunday morning, 97% of customers were without power, some churches canceled regular services while others like Faith Baptist Church in Perry opted to worship outside.

Standing water and tree debris still covers the grounds of Faith Baptist Church. The church called on parishioners to come “pray for our community” in a message posted to the congregation’s Facebook page.

“We have power. We don’t have electricity,” Immaculate Conception Catholic Church parishioner Marie Ruttinger said. “Our God has power. That’s for sure.”

In Atlanta, 11.12 inches (28.24 centimeters) of rain fell over 48 hours, the most the city has seen over two days since record keeping began in 1878.

In Augusta, in eastern Georgia near the border with South Carolina, officials notified residents Sunday morning that water service would be shut off for 24 to 48 hours in the city and surrounding Richmond County. A news release said trash and debris from the storm “blocked our ability to pump water.” Officials were distributing bottled water at the municipal building and said each household would receive one case.

President Joe Biden said Saturday that Helene’s devastation has been “overwhelming” and pledged to send help. He also approved a disaster declaration for North Carolina, making federal funding available for affected individuals. Dozens of utilities crews from New England states were also headed south to help with recovery.

Federal funding will be critically important for rebuilding local communities, Sen. Marco Rubio said during an appearance on NBC's Meet The Press.

“There are some coastal areas, some of which are now facing their third storm in the last 12 months,” Rubio said.

With at least 25 killed in South Carolina, Helene is the deadliest tropical cyclone for the state since Hurricane Hugo killed 35 people when it came ashore just north of Charleston in 1989. Deaths also have been reported in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia.

Moody’s Analytics said it expects $15 billion to $26 billion in property damage. AccuWeather’s preliminary estimate of the total damage and economic loss from Helene in the U.S. is between $95 billion and $110 billion.

Among the 11 confirmed deaths in Florida were nine people who drowned in their homes in a mandatory evacuation area on the Gulf Coast in Pinellas County, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said.

Climate change has exacerbated conditions that allow such storms to thrive, rapidly intensifying in warming waters and turning into powerful cyclones sometimes in a matter of hours.

Helene was the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average season this year because of record-warm ocean temperatures.

Associated Press reporters Patrick Whittle in Portland, Maine, and Haya Panjwani in Washington contributed. Collins contributed from Columbia, South Carolina.

An aerial view of flood damage along the Pigeon River left by Hurricane Helene, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Newport, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

An aerial view of flood damage along the Pigeon River left by Hurricane Helene, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Newport, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

An aerial view of flood damage along the Pigeon River left by Hurricane Helene, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Newport, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

An aerial view of flood damage along the Pigeon River left by Hurricane Helene, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Newport, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Fallen pine trees litter the grounds of Waukeenah Methodist Church in Monticello, Fla. on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Kate Payne)

Fallen pine trees litter the grounds of Waukeenah Methodist Church in Monticello, Fla. on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Kate Payne)

A group from St. Augustine, Fla. that arrived to help storm victims, who did not want to give their names, walk to the damaged First Baptist Church to pray in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A group from St. Augustine, Fla. that arrived to help storm victims, who did not want to give their names, walk to the damaged First Baptist Church to pray in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Chris Jordan, maintenance manager for Horseshoe Beach, tries to find a water shutoff valve amid the rubble of the destroyed city hall in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Chris Jordan, maintenance manager for Horseshoe Beach, tries to find a water shutoff valve amid the rubble of the destroyed city hall in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A group from St. Augustine, Fla. that arrived to help storm victims, who did not want to give their name, pray outside the damaged First Baptist Church in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A group from St. Augustine, Fla. that arrived to help storm victims, who did not want to give their name, pray outside the damaged First Baptist Church in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Chris Jordan, maintenance manager for Horseshoe Beach, tries to find a water shutoff valve amid the rubble of the destroyed city hall in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Chris Jordan, maintenance manager for Horseshoe Beach, tries to find a water shutoff valve amid the rubble of the destroyed city hall in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Chris Jordan, maintenance manager for Horseshoe Beach, tries to find a water shutoff valve amid the rubble of the destroyed city hall in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Chris Jordan, maintenance manager for Horseshoe Beach, tries to find a water shutoff valve amid the rubble of the destroyed city hall in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A group from St. Augustine, Fla. that arrived to help storm victims, who did not want to give their names, pray outside the damaged First Baptist Church in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A group from St. Augustine, Fla. that arrived to help storm victims, who did not want to give their names, pray outside the damaged First Baptist Church in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A group from St. Augustine, Fla. that arrived to help storm victims, who did not want to give their names, pray outside the damaged First Baptist Church in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A group from St. Augustine, Fla. that arrived to help storm victims, who did not want to give their names, pray outside the damaged First Baptist Church in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A loose dog walks past a group from St. Augustine, Fla., who did not want to give their name, that arrived to help storm victims, as they walk to pray outside the damaged First Baptist Church in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A loose dog walks past a group from St. Augustine, Fla., who did not want to give their name, that arrived to help storm victims, as they walk to pray outside the damaged First Baptist Church in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A group from St. Augustine, Fla. that arrived to help storm victims, who did not want to give their names, walk to the damaged First Baptist Church to pray in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A group from St. Augustine, Fla. that arrived to help storm victims, who did not want to give their names, walk to the damaged First Baptist Church to pray in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Joe Daum looks at the remains of a friend's home that burned during Hurricane Helene on Davis Island Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Joe Daum looks at the remains of a friend's home that burned during Hurricane Helene on Davis Island Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Ellie Moss, along with family and friends cleans contents of her home after flooding from Hurricane Helene on Davis Island Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Ellie Moss, along with family and friends cleans contents of her home after flooding from Hurricane Helene on Davis Island Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Contents of homes are piled on the side of the road after flooding from Hurricane Helene on Davis Island Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Contents of homes are piled on the side of the road after flooding from Hurricane Helene on Davis Island Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

A home site destroyed by flood water is seen Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Newport, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

A home site destroyed by flood water is seen Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Newport, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Volunteers from convoyofhope.org wait for fellow volunteers before they open a food distribution operation in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Perry, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Volunteers from convoyofhope.org wait for fellow volunteers before they open a food distribution operation in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Perry, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A person crosses River St. where flood damage is seen Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Newport, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

A person crosses River St. where flood damage is seen Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Newport, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

People walk along River St. flood damage is seen Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Newport, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

People walk along River St. flood damage is seen Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Newport, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Jonah Wark, right, kisses his wife Sara Martin outside their flood-damaged home on the Pigeon River in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Newport, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Jonah Wark, right, kisses his wife Sara Martin outside their flood-damaged home on the Pigeon River in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Newport, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Dustin Bentley, center, kisses his wife Jennifer Bentley, left, after retrieving family photos from their flood-damaged home in the aftermatch of Hurricane Helene as his mother Janet Sams looks on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Newport, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Dustin Bentley, center, kisses his wife Jennifer Bentley, left, after retrieving family photos from their flood-damaged home in the aftermatch of Hurricane Helene as his mother Janet Sams looks on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Newport, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

The ruins of city hall are seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

The ruins of city hall are seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Flood damage is seen inside a home along River Rd., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Newport, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Flood damage is seen inside a home along River Rd., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Newport, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Tammy Bryan, left, hugs fellow resident Jennifer Lange amid the destruction in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Tammy Bryan, left, hugs fellow resident Jennifer Lange amid the destruction in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Frankie Johnson, left, and her husband, Mark Johnson, talk with fellow resident Charlene Huggins, right, amid the destruction in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Frankie Johnson, left, and her husband, Mark Johnson, talk with fellow resident Charlene Huggins, right, amid the destruction in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Ashlie Salliotte, left, hugs Janet Sams, right, at Sams' flood-damaged home along River Road, in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Newport, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Ashlie Salliotte, left, hugs Janet Sams, right, at Sams' flood-damaged home along River Road, in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Newport, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Jennifer Lange, center, walks amid the destruction in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Jennifer Lange, center, walks amid the destruction in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Residents walk amidst the destruction in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Residents walk amidst the destruction in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Charlene Huggins, and her daughter-in-law, Katelyn Huggins, right, walk past the destruction on their street in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Charlene Huggins, and her daughter-in-law, Katelyn Huggins, right, walk past the destruction on their street in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

John Taylor puts up an American flag on his destroyed property in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

John Taylor puts up an American flag on his destroyed property in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Volunteers Chelsea Marchant and her daughter Remi, along with Brennan Cordery, center, and Lynnlee Stratton, all of Dixie County, carry donations in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Volunteers Chelsea Marchant and her daughter Remi, along with Brennan Cordery, center, and Lynnlee Stratton, all of Dixie County, carry donations in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Gloriana Cherry, left, recovers possessions from her family's destroyed home, along with Shannon Lee, in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Gloriana Cherry, left, recovers possessions from her family's destroyed home, along with Shannon Lee, in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

An American flag flies over the destroyed city hall in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Stephen Smith)

An American flag flies over the destroyed city hall in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Stephen Smith)

Destruction is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Stephen Smith)

Destruction is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Stephen Smith)

Dennis Johnson cleans out debris from his mother-in-law's heavily damaged home in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Dennis Johnson cleans out debris from his mother-in-law's heavily damaged home in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

People move debris from a damaged home in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Stephen Smith)

People move debris from a damaged home in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Stephen Smith)

A flood damaged building left by tropical depression Helene is seen in Newport, Tenn., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

A flood damaged building left by tropical depression Helene is seen in Newport, Tenn., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Residents clean contents of their home after flooding from Hurricane Helene on Davis Island Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Residents clean contents of their home after flooding from Hurricane Helene on Davis Island Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Boats sit after being pushed ashore by floodwaters from Hurricane Helene on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Boats sit after being pushed ashore by floodwaters from Hurricane Helene on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Elsie Hicks looks at the destruction of the home she has loved in for 25 years, in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Elsie Hicks looks at the destruction of the home she has loved in for 25 years, in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

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