Tree falls on and kills man during Helene cleanup

TAZEWELL, Va. (WVVA/Gray News) – A man in Virginia died Friday while cleaning up storm debris left behind from Hurricane Helene.

Tazewell County Sheriff Brian Hieatt says a 71-year-old man was driving home when he encountered a tree that had fallen and blocked part of the road. After driving around it, he went back to try to clear the path for others.

That’s when another tree fell on him, killing him, the sheriff says.

“Unfortunately, this was a case where he was trying to clear the road. He was trying to help his neighborhood,” Hieatt said.

Authorities urge residents to exercise extreme caution as any wind gusts may bring additional weak-rooted trees down.

The death toll from Hurricane Helene reached at least 107 people in six states on Monday, according to the Associated Press.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said during a news conference Monday that the death toll in his state had risen from 17 to 25, pushing the overall toll to more than 100 people.

More than half of those fatalities have been reported in the Carolinas.

Copyright 2024 WVVA via Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.