Robert Gaudet, the founder and CEO of the Cajun Navy, a volunteer disaster rescue and response team, has been on the front lines of numerous natural disasters. However, the aftermath of Hurricane Helene has left him speechless.
Gaudet expressed his shock at the unprecedented level of destruction caused by Hurricane Helene. He mentioned that despite responding to disasters like the wildfires in Maui, the scale of devastation from Helene was unlike anything they had ever encountered.
The impact of the hurricane was profound, with properties and homes being filled with feet of mud and entire towns being washed into lakes. Gaudet described the extensive damage and destruction that stretched for miles, painting a grim picture of the aftermath.
Hurricane Helene claimed the lives of at least 180 individuals across six states, marking it as the second deadliest hurricane to hit the United States since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Gaudet, who established the Cajun Navy in the wake of Katrina, expressed deep sorrow over the rising death toll.
Gaudet found it particularly distressing to hear that over 100 individuals had lost their lives, with more casualties expected as recovery efforts continued. The magnitude of the loss weighed heavily on him, reflecting the somber reality of the disaster.
