The head of FEMA says the “historic” destruction caused by Helene is linked to the climate crisis

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The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said the severe flooding and subsequent devastation caused by Hurricane Helene is linked to the climate emergency.

Deanne Criswell said rising temperatures in the Gulf led to conditions that caused “significant infrastructure damage” that affected a multistate area.

Although the worst is now believed to be over in Helene, recovery efforts are progressing quickly in several communities. At least 62 people were killed and millions were left without power.

According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm, now classified as a post-tropical cyclone, is expected to hover over the Tennessee Valley Saturday and into Sunday.

In conversation with CBS Face the nation On Sunday, Crisswell said Helene was a “truly multi-state event” after a “historic flood.”

“It took a while for this storm to develop, but then it intensified very quickly – and that's because of the warm waters in the Gulf, which are generating more storms that reach this large category,” she said.

The conditions resulted in greater storm surge in coastal areas and more rainfall as the storms moved further north, according to Criswell.

“In the past, hurricane damage was primarily wind damage, but now we're seeing a lot more water damage, and that's a result of warm water, which is a result of climate change.”

She added: “This is going to be a really complicated recovery in each of the five states” Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Criswell also noted that a 15-foot storm surge hit Taylor County, Florida, where Helene came ashore as a Category 4 hurricane – with winds of 140 mph – and noted areas of western North Carolina 29 inches of rain was recorded as the storm stalled over the region.

“This is historic flooding in North Carolina,” she said. “I don’t know if anyone could be fully prepared for the level of flooding and landslides that are happening right now.”

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Sunday that authorities were working as quickly as possible to restore “normalcy” but he expected the state's death toll to rise to 11.

“We know it will be a matter of time before there are communities that are cut off,” he told reporters at a news conference.

“Everyone is working as hard as they can, firstly, to save lives, because there are still water rescues going on, getting supplies to people, making sure we restore communications, getting power back to people and repairing roads.” we can get from one place to the next. All of these things are important.

Cooper continued: “As soon as we are in a position to assess the damages, it will begin. We will also receive individual families through the individual assistance authorized in this disaster declaration that we just received, but we don't know that yet.

“We will continue to evaluate this and work to improve things as quickly as possible.”

The governor added that authorities would continue to work “around the clock” on relief efforts.