CLIMATEWIRE | Hurricane Helene demolished the notion there are places on Earth immune from climate change — an already shaky premise that was further discredited by widespread damage to Asheville, North Carolina, a so-called climate haven.

Hurricane Helene is a significant human tragedy with more than 200 deaths reported as of Oct. 4. Thousands more have been left homeless, with North Carolina hit particularly hard. And the property damage will be difficult for the thousands of homeowners to manage without adequate flood insurance.

Here’s a look at some of the harrowing numbers from along Helene’s path of destruction. Helene traveled up through the Gulf of Mexico, growing to an immense width — 690 miles — and traveling at a high speed.

The devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene has brought climate change to the forefront of the presidential campaign after the issue lingered on the margins for months. Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Georgia Wednesday to see hard-hit areas,