MITCHELL COUNTY, North Carolina — Areas in Western North Carolina are still in crisis mode, with many communities without power, water, internet and cell service after being battered by Hurricane Helene.

The storm’s death toll topped 200 on Thursday and could rise higher still, as searchers made their way toward the hardest-to-reach places in the mountains of western North Carolina.

“Our 911 system is having to rely on radios to dispatch right now,” said Mitchell County manager, Allen Cook. “Our internet is out. That is our issue.”

Officials in Georgia and North Carolina added to their states’ grim tallies, padding an overall count that has already made Helene the deadliest storm to hit the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

President Joe Biden spoke with survivors and first responders and surveyed damage Thursday in Keaton Beach, Florida, walking past mountains of splintered wood, demolished homes and massive pieces of siding crumpled like paper.

Biden met with people who had lost homes; one couple was living out of a trailer near the wreckage of their home, their personal belongings strewn on the ground. Later at a badly damaged pecan farm outside Valdosta, Georgia, he said the victims of Helene had gone through “hell.”

“I want you to know I see you … I grieve with you,” Biden said while also thanking emergency workers and saying it was a moment to “put politics aside.”

Biden flew over the devastation in North and South Carolina on Wednesday. The administration announced a federal commitment to foot the bill for debris removal and emergency protective measures for six months in North Carolina and three months in Georgia.

While government cargo planes brought food and water to these areas and rescue crews waded through creeks searching for survivors, those who made it through the storm leaned on one another for support.

In Western North Carolina, Cook said the volunteer fire departments are serving as donation drop-off locations. They desperately need oxygen, generators, and battery powered radios.

“We need the means to reach some of these smaller communities and get food out to those folks who haven’t been getting these updates,” he said. “They’ve been sitting in their house for nearly a week and they don’t know what’s going on or if help is coming.

Cook said the flooding could also have major impacts on technology across the nation. He said high-quality quartz, an essential ingredient in the semi-conductor chipmaking process, is mined in Spruce Pine, the largest town in Mitchell County.

The flood waters caused the North Toe River to flood, devastating Spruce Pine downtown. Fallen trees and washed-out roads have left the community isolated.

Jeff Harding, a business owner in Spruce Pine, said he was in shock when he saw the damage.

“Devastation,” he said. “Complete devastation.”

Harding was downtown on Wednesday, helping other business owners clear out the mud from their shops. He is hoping the state or federal government will help business owners with relief dollars.

“I’m thankful we’re talking about my business, my family is safe, my employees are safe, my friends are safe,” he said. “But we’re finding some people who were not as fortunate. … It’s heartbreaking.”

Federal disaster medical assistance teams are now set up at Spruce Pine Hospital, helping those who are hurt or without much-needed medications.

“We have individuals who have lost everything and don’t have access to their critical medications,” said Paul Decerbo, a disaster team commander. “We’re seeing individuals that sustained trauma, patients with diabetic complications. We’re seeing what a normal ER would see.”

The medical assistance is free for residents who need it. “This is a wonderful group of individuals who have been really affected by this disaster, and we’re providing critical care, medical access, during their time of need and we couldn’t be more privileged, more humbled to be here for the community,” Decerbo said.

Emergency officials say they are still responding to calls to help and want to reassure their community they are doing everything they can to help those in need.

“Prayers are important,” said Cook. “We want you to know they’re going up and we want everyone in this country to throw those up for us. Second, our mountain spirit is strong. We’re not broke. We’re working our tails off to get this place going. … But sometimes we need some help and we’re going to need some help.”

Associated Press contributed to this article. Content from WCYB is provided by Sinclair, the parent company of FOX45 News.