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President Biden has directed the deployment of up to 1,000 active-duty soldiers to assist in disaster areas affected by Hurricane Helene.

Let’s bring you up to speed: Hurricane Helene has caused widespread devastation across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, destroying homes and critical infrastructure. Officials in the affected states report at least 166 deaths, with hundreds still missing. Some communities have been particularly hard-hit and have experienced severe flooding, infrastructure damage, and widespread displacement. First responders are struggling to reach remote areas due to debris, damaged roads, and destroyed bridges.

What’s going on now: In an announcement, the White House said President Biden “directed the Department of Defense to deploy up to 1,000 active-duty soldiers to support the delivery of food, water, and other critical commodities to communities impacted by Hurricane Helene.” The White House added that “the announcement is effective immediately, and these forces will be available for deployment starting today. This action will provide additional manpower and logistics capabilities, enabling FEMA and other interagency partners to reach the hardest hit areas as quickly as possible.”

A focus on North Carolina: According to President Biden, many of those being deployed will head to North Carolina, which arguably has had the most significant impact following the Hurricane. In a statement, Biden said, “These soldiers will speed up the delivery of life-saving supplies of food, water, and medicine to isolated communities in North Carolina — they have the manpower and logistical capabilities to get this vital job done, and fast. They will join hundreds of North Carolina National Guard members deployed under State authorities in support of the response.”