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Hurricane Helene live updates: 52 dead in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia
Helene's storm surge, wind damage and inland flooding has been catastrophic.
Rescues are ongoing and the cleanup is underway on Saturday after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region Thursday night as a massive Category 4 hurricane -- the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the Big Bend on record.
The storm surge, wind damage and inland flooding from Helene has been catastrophic, impacting Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. Dozens have been killed and millions are still without power.
The remnants of Helene continue to bring rain to areas like Nashville, Paducah, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Detroit.
There are no new flood watches in effect and the overall flood threat is low.
There are still flood warnings in effect for multiple counties across parts of western North Carolina, eastern Kentucky, and western Virginia.
Latest headlines:
Over 200 rescued from North Carolina floods, governor says
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper provided an update Saturday afternoon on the ongoing recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
As of 4 p.m., more than 200 people have been rescued from flood waters, he said. North Carolina first responders are being aided by crews from 19 other states and the federal government, according to Cooper.
"This is a historic and catastrophic storm for Western North Carolina and I’m grateful to first responders working right now to save lives and evacuate residents," he said in a statement.
Some areas in the mountain region saw as much as 29 inches of rain, the governor said. More than 700,000 people remain without power.
"We’re bringing in needed supplies by air," Cooper said.
Emergency management teams in Rutherford County, NC, launch air rescues
Emergency management teams in Rutherford County, North Carolina, started an air rescue operation Saturday afternoon to evacuate residents from Lake Lure and Chimney Rock Village.
Those airlifted will be taken to RS Central High School for further assistance, officials said.
"As soon as we receive the names of those rescued, we will make every effort to reach out to families and individuals who have inquired about their loved ones," officials said in a statement.
-ABC News' Jason Volack
Swift water rescues ongoing in North Carolina
Swift water rescues are ongoing in Buncombe County, North Carolina, which encompasses Asheville, officials said.
Water rescue teams have conducted more than 130 missions so far, county emergency services director Taylor Jones said. Many roads in the area are impassable and major rivers remain at flood stage, Jones said.
"We are in the midst of the most significant natural disaster in our community," county manager Avril Pinder said.
Pinder urged residents to remain patient as crews work to restore cell service and power, and she asked people to avoid non-emergency calls to 911.
"Our dispatchers are overwhelmed with life-safety emergencies," Pinder said.
-ABC News’ Jason Volack
Biden 'deeply saddened' by deaths and destruction from Helene
President Joe Biden said in a statement that he is "deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation" caused by Hurricane Helene.
"As the storm continues to track north, Vice President [Kamala] Harris and I remain focused on life-saving and life-sustaining response and recovery efforts," Biden said.
He also said that he will be with affected Americans "every step of the way" during recovery efforts.
"We will make certain that no resource is spared to ensure that families, businesses, schools, hospitals, and entire communities can quickly begin their road to rebuilding," Biden said.
-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart