The Southeast is struggling with deadly storm damage and severe flooding

For many families waiting for the lights to come back on, the wait continues.

According to PowerOutage.us, more than 1.6 million power customers have been without power since 4:30 a.m. ET. That’s a big drop from the 4 million customers without power immediately after Hurricane Helene hit Florida last Thursday.

But that will be little consolation for the 632,000 customers in North Carolina without power or the 471,000 in Georgia.

Florida’s power grid has largely recovered, with 69,000 customers out this morning.

Desperate family members waited for word on more than 150 people still missing after floods hit Tennessee. Some of the missing were in a flooded plastics factory. Officials said the operation turned into a recovery effort. NBC News Priscilla Thompson reports.

More than 100 people are reported to have died in multiple states after Hurricane Helene tore through the Southeast, causing widespread damage and devastating flooding. Officials say thousands of people still have not contacted their loved ones. NBC News George Solis from hard-hit Asheville, North Carolina