Sign up for the Morning Brief email newsletter to get weekday updates from The Weather Channel and our meteorologists.Hurricane Helene tore through the Southeast last week, leaving a path of uminaginable devastation that will require years of recovery efforts in some areas.

The death toll from Helene climbed as emergency responders rushed to rescue residents in small mountain towns that have been cut off from communication.

Some residents in North Carolina searched in anguish for missing relatives, fearing the worst. Others grappled with the next steps.