Caravans of food, water and supplies were moving into western North Carolina this week as residents and local officials grappled with devastation never before seen in the region. The big picture: Hurricane Helene has left officials in six Southeastern states struggling to respond to the widespread destruction it caused after hitting Florida as a Category 4 storm last week,

The death toll from Hurricane Helene continues to climb as rescue efforts persist across the Southeast. Hard-hit regions, including parts of western North Carolina, are receiving aid from various states as emergency crews work to reach isolated communities devastated by catastrophic flooding.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper predicted the death toll would rise as rescuers reached areas isolated by collapsed roads and widespread flooding.