The search for the missing hits snags at every corner as Helene's death toll tops 200

PENSACOLA, N.C. (AP) — Rescue crews and volunteers facing obstacles at every turn in North Carolina’s remote mountains paddled canoes across swollen rivers and steered horses past mudslides in the rush to reach those stranded or missing by Hurricane Helene’s rampage that killed more than 200 throughout the Southeast.

Now a week since the storm first roared onto Florida’s Gulf Coast, the search continued for people who have yet to be heard from in places where phone service and electricity were knocked out. Pleas for help came from people running low on medicine or in need of fuel for their generators.

How many people are missing or unaccounted for isn’t clear. The death toll soared to 215 people on Thursday as more victims were found, making Helene the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Katrina in 2005. Roughly half the victims were in North Carolina, while dozens more were killed in South Carolina and Georgia.

Along the Cane River in western North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, rescuers from the Pensacola Volunteer Fire Department were cutting their way through trees at the top of a valley nearly a week after a wall of chocolate-milk colored water swept through for hours.

Pensacola, which sits a few miles from Mount Mitchell, the highest point east of the Mississippi River, lost an untold number of people, said Mark Harrison, chief medical officer for the department.

"We’re starting to do recovery,” he said Thursday. “We’ve got the most critical people out.”

Harrison was helping dispatch volunteers driving all-terrain vehicles on supply runs to people still on ridgetops. Many don’t want to leave their houses, while others lost their vehicles and need help getting to town.

Bradley Billheimer, who hiked down to the fire station to access the internet, said he just talked to his mom for the first time since the storm. He feared his house will be without power for months.

“I think we’re going to walk out in a couple of days,” he said.

In another county that sits alongside the Tennessee state line, crews were just finishing clearing main routes and reaching side roads that wind through switchbacks and cross small bridges that can be tricky to navigate even in the best weather. Each road presented a new challenge.

“Everything is fine and then they come around a bend and the road is gone and it’s one big gully or the bridge is gone.” said Charlie Wallin, a commissioner in Watauga County. “We can only get so far.”

Most people the crews come across turn out to be fine and just in need of water, but every day there are new requests to check on someone who hasn’t been heard from yet, Wallin said. When the search will end is hard to tell, he said.

“You hope you’re getting closer, but it’s still hard to know,” he said.

A week into the search and rescue operations in Buncombe County, which includes the hard-hit tourist city of Asheville and where more than 72 have been killed, the county doesn’t have an official tally of people who are unaccounted for or missing.

The county sheriff said his office believes more than 200 people are missing, although other officials said the number is constantly changing when crews make contact with people who hadn’t been accounted for or receive new names of people who may be missing.

“We’re continuing to find people. We know we have pockets of people who are isolated due to landslides and bridges out,” said Avril Pinder, the county manager. “So they are disconnected but not missing.”

Frank Johnson, who owns a company that makes robotic cutting machines in Mars Hill, North Carolina, said he feels like he is running a relief mission on his own. He’s using his own workers, volunteers and supplies and know-how from his company to get water, food, fuel and other supplies to his neighbors.

“I’ve been hearing there are entire neighborhoods gone. I’m still not sure people have the whole grasp of what we’re dealing with,” Johnson said.

Electricity is being slowly restored, as the number of homes and businesses without power dipped below 1 million for the first time since last weekend, according to poweroutage.us. Most of the outages are in the Carolinas and Georgia, where Helene struck after coming into Florida on Sept. 26 as a Category 4 hurricane.

John Savage said his grandparents were found hugging one another in their Beech Island, South Carolina, home where one of the biggest trees on the property crashed on top of their bedroom and killed them.

The family thinks it was God’s plan to take them together, rather than one suffer without the other, he said.

“When they pulled them out of there, my grandpa apparently heard the tree snap beforehand and rolled over to try and protect my grandmother,” Savage said.

Two firefighters killed when a tree fell on their truck also were among at least 40 people killed across South Carolina.

Month-old twin boys, born in mid-August, were the youngest known victims. Khyzier and Khazmir Williams died alongside their 27-year-old mother Kobe Williams when a large tree fell through the roof of their home Monday in Thomson, Georgia.

Kobe’s father, Obie Lee Williams, said he’s devastated that he will never have the chance to meet his grandsons in person. He described his daughter as a lovable, social and strong young woman who cared deeply about her family.

Other young victims of the storm include a 7-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy from Washington County, Georgia.

President Joe Biden spoke with survivors and first responders and surveyed damage Thursday in Keaton Beach, Florida, walking past mountains of splintered wood, demolished homes and massive pieces of siding crumpled like paper. Biden met with people who had lost homes; one couple was living out of a trailer near the wreckage of their home, their personal belongings strewn on the ground.

Later at a badly damaged pecan farm outside Valdosta, Georgia, he said the victims of Helene had gone through “hell.”

“I want you to know I see you … I grieve with you,” Biden said while also thanking emergency workers and saying it was a moment to “put politics aside."

Biden flew over the devastation in North and South Carolina on Wednesday. The administration announced a federal commitment to foot the bill for debris removal and emergency protective measures for six months in North Carolina and three months in Georgia. The money will address the impacts of landslides and flooding and cover costs of first responders, search and rescue teams, shelters, and mass feeding.

This story was updated to correct that the federal government will pay for debris removal and emergency protective measures for three months, not six months, in Georgia.

Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Contributing to this report were Associated Press journalists Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina; Darlene Superville in Keaton Beach, Florida; Michael Kunzelman in College Park, Maryland; Hannah Fingerhut in Des Moines, Iowa; and Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City.

President Joe Biden greets people in Keaton Beach, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, during his tour of areas impacted by Hurricane Helene. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

President Joe Biden speaks at Shiloh Pecan Farm as property manager Buck Paulk looks on in Ray City, Ga., Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, as part of Biden's trip to see areas impacted by Hurricane Helene. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

David DeMeza walks out with belongings through sands pushed on to the streets by Hurricane Helene, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Treasure Island, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

A destroyed home is seen after flood waters moved through the Cane river in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

President Joe Biden speaks with Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., in Keaton Beach, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, during his tour of areas impacted by Hurricane Helene. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Volunteers gather food for families at the volunteer fire station in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

A volunteer gathers food for families at the volunteer fire station in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Volunteers prepare meals for firefighters and others at the volunteer fire station in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

The town sign is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

People speak outside the volunteer fire house in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

A volunteer gathers food for families at the volunteer fire station in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

A bus pushed by flood waters rests against Laurel Branch Baptist church in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

A trailer moved by floodwater sits on the side of a road in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

North Carolina National guardsman unload water in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

A man makes a call on the wireless system set up at the volunteer fire department in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Homes lie in a debris field in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

A bus pushed by flood waters rests against Laurel Branch Baptist church in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

A firefighter watches as a helicopter lands at a volunteer fire station in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

A woman walks to her damaged home in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Dominick Gucciardo walks to his home past a bus pushed by flood waters rests against Laurel Branch Baptist church in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Vehicles roll along on a washed up road in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Dominick Gucciardo walks to his home in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

President Joe Biden walks off Marine One, after flying around areas impacted by Hurricane Helene near Perry, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

This satellite image released by Maxar Technologies shows flooding from Hurricane Helene by the North Toe River and downtown in Spruce Pine, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024. (Satellite image ©2024 Maxar Technologies via AP)

This satellite image released by Maxar Technologies shows damage from Hurricane Helene in Old Fort, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024. (Satellite image ©2024 Maxar Technologies via AP)

This satellite image released by Maxar Technologies shows flooding by the North Toe River and market damage from Hurricane Helene in Spruce Pine, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024. (Satellite image ©2024 Maxar Technologies via AP)

This satellite image released by Maxar Technologies shows the town in McDowell County before storm damage occurred in 2024 from Hurricane Helene in Old Fort, N.C., Jan. 7, 2022. (Satellite image ©2024 Maxar Technologies via AP)

This satellite image released by Maxar Technologies shows mud and debris near Old Fort Elementary School, damage from Hurricane Helene in Old Fort, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024. (Satellite image ©2024 Maxar Technologies via AP)

President Joe Biden talks with Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer, as he arrives at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in Greer, S.C., Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, to survey damage from Hurricane Helene. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Marine One, with President Joe Biden on board, flies around areas impacted by Hurricane Helene over Asheville, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Contents of a home are piled on the side of a home after flooding from Hurricane Helene on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Indian Rocks Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Contents of homes line the streets after flooding from Hurricane Helene on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Reddington Shores, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Resident Anne Schneider, right, hugs her friend Eddy Sampson as they survey damage left in the wake of Hurricane Helene, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Marshall, N.C. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Damaged to one of the White family's homes that was destroyed by Hurricane Helene is seen, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024 in Morganton, N.C. The adjacent Catawba River flooded due to torrential rains destroying seven of the family's nine homes on the property. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

Vehicles and debris that were caught in a flash flood from Hurricane Helene rest on the side of the road near the Swannanoa River, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Swannanoa, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Train tracks washed out during Hurricane Helene run along the French Broad River, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Marshall, N.C. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Eva Markowitz stands covered in mud left by Hurricane Helene as she works to clean up Zadie's Market and Deli Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Marshall, N.C. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

A person carries bags of fresh water after filling up from a tanker at a distribution site in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Asheville, N.C. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

FILE - Brian McCormack pauses after using a wheelbarrow to clean up debris left in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Oct. 1, 2024, in Marshall, N.C. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Loaves & Fishes food group serve meals for residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Lake Lure, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

A destroyed mobile home and vehicles lay scattered across muddy land, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Hendersonville, N.C., in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson)

People ride in the back of a pickup truck on a mud-covered street left in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Marshall, N.C. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Debris is strewn on the lake in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Lake Lure, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

FILE - A passerby checks the water depth of a flooded road, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Morganton, N.C. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek, File)

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Saturday drew a direct link between immigration and an attack in Germany where a man drove into a Christmas market teeming with holiday shoppers, killing at least five people and injuring 200 others.

During a rare appearance before independent media in Budapest, Orbán expressed his sympathy to the families of the victims of what he called the “terrorist act” on Friday night in the city of Magdeburg. But the long-serving Hungarian leader, one of the European Union's most vocal critics, also implied that the 27-nation bloc's migration policies were to blame.

German authorities said the suspect, a 50-year-old Saudi doctor, is under investigation. He has lived in Germany since 2006, practicing medicine. Describing himself as a former Muslim, the suspect shared dozens of tweets and retweets daily focusing on anti-Islam themes, criticizing the religion and congratulating Muslims who left the faith.

Orbán claimed without evidence that such attacks only began to occur in Europe after 2015, when hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees entered the EU after largely fleeing war and violence in the Middle East and Africa.

Europe has in fact seen numerous militant attacks going back decades including train bombings in Madrid, Spain, in 2004 and attacks on central London in 2005.

Still, the nationalist leader declared that “there is no doubt that there is a link” between migration and terrorism, and claimed that the EU leadership "wants Magdeburg to happen to Hungary too.”

Orbán's anti-immigrant government has taken a hard line on people entering Hungary since 2015, and has built fences protected by razor wire on Hungary's southern borders with Serbia and Croatia.

In June, the European Court of Justice ordered Hungary to pay a fine of 200 million euros ($216 million) for persistently breaking the bloc’s asylum rules, and an additional 1 million euros per day until it brings its policies into line with EU law.

Orbán, a right-wing populist who is consistently at odds with the EU, has earlier vowed that Hungary would not change its migration and asylum policies regardless of any rulings from the EU's top court.

On Saturday, he promised that his government will fight back against what he called EU efforts to “impose” immigration policies on Hungary.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks during his annual international press conference in Budapest, Hungary, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks during his annual international press conference in Budapest, Hungary, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks during his annual international press conference in Budapest, Hungary, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks during his annual international press conference in Budapest, Hungary, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks during his annual international press conference in Budapest, Hungary, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)