A 96-year-old woman in Henderson County whose home, officials say, was washed away in flooding during Hurricane Helene became the 106th storm victim reported in North Carolina.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services identified the woman as Marjorie Lentz. She died due to complications from hypothermia, which arose due to "environmental exposure" after losing her home, officials confirmed to BPR in an email on Thursday.
Her death was reported publicly last week. Officials say Lentz died on Jan. 6, 2025.
It's unclear where Lentz had been living since the flood destroyed her home. It's also unclear whether Lentz had been hospitalized with hypothermia.
Also Thursday, state officials provided more information to BPR about the man who was listed in December as the 105th Helene victim confirmed in North Carolina. In that case, DHHS reported that 50-year-old Terry Michael Johnson's body was found on Dec. 20 in Buncombe County during storm cleanup operations.
Of those killed by Helene in North Carolina, more than 4 of every 5 victims were found and included in the state's official report within less than two weeks of Helene striking the mountains, according to BPR's analysis of publicly available data.
