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Ahead of Visit, Biden Orders 1,000 Troops to Region Gutted by Helene

Officials are still uncovering the extent of the devastation in western North Carolina, which President Biden will view from the air. The storm killed more than 160 people in six states.

Oct. 2, 2024Updated 11:56 a.m. ET

President Biden on Wednesday ordered the Pentagon to deploy up to 1,000 active-duty troops to North Carolina to assist with aid efforts after Hurricane Helene. The announcement came hours before the president will get an aerial view of the destruction wrought by the storm in visits to North and South Carolina.

The extent of the damage across the Southeast is still coming to light six days after Helene made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Across the mountains of southern Appalachia, many residents remain isolated by muddy debris and washed-out roads.

Broken water systems, downed power lines and poor cellphone service are complicating rescue and recovery efforts. The active-duty troops that Mr. Biden is deploying from Fort Liberty in Fayetteville, N.C., will join more than 6,000 National Guard members and 4,800 federal aid workers already spread out across devastated parts of the Southeast.

“It’s going to take a long haul to restore these communities,” the president told reporters on Tuesday.

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