Hurricane Helene has become one of the most significant storms in recent history, impacting millions across the southeastern United States. Making landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, Helene has left a trail of destruction from Florida to Georgia and beyond.
Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region with winds reaching up to 140 mph (225 kph). The storm then moved north, weakening to a tropical storm over Georgia and continuing to affect the Carolinas.
The National Hurricane Center has described Helene as “extremely dangerous,” with a wind field spanning a distance comparable to that between Indianapolis and Washington, DC.
11AM EDT Sept 27: #Helene is producing historic and catastrophic flooding over portions of the southeast and southern Appalachians. For the latest visit https://t.co/tW4KeGe9uJ pic.twitter.com/Gy6tnJ5S9t
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 27, 2024
Flooding has been a significant issue, with rapidly rising waters reported from as far south as Fort Myers, Florida. As of Friday morning, approximately 3.4 million people across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina were without power. In Cedar Key, Florida, many homes and businesses were inundated, including the city’s fire rescue building.
At Least 17 People Dead Due to Hurricane Helene! Everything We Know So Far
At least 17 people have died due to Hurricane Helene according to The Associated Press. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp reported Friday that 11 people in his state have been killed, with dozens more still trapped in homes damaged by Hurricane Helene.
In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis also confirmed two deaths: one person was struck by a falling sign in Tampa’s Ybor City, while another was killed when a tree fell onto a house in Dixie County.
🚨 HEROIC RESCUE! The U.S. Coast Guard shared a video of their daring rescue of a man and his dog after their sailboat was disabled during Hurricane #Helene. Both are safe and in good health.
📹: AST2 Hudson, edited by Lt. Cmdr. Kellerman, AirSta Clearwater pic.twitter.com/aD5lpt8cxz
— John-Carlos Estrada 🎙️ (@Mr_JCE) September 27, 2024
South Carolina officials said two people lost their lives when trees fell on their homes.
North Carolina also saw two deaths due to Hurricane Helene. One person was killed by a tree that fell on their home, and another died in a car accident on a flooded road in Catawba County, according to Governor Roy Cooper.
Around 3.2 million people in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee were left without power, according to poweroutage.us this Friday morning.
Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina were hit the hardest, each experiencing over 1 million outages. However, in South Carolina, nearly 45% of homes and businesses were without electricity Friday morning. Entire counties were affected as hurricane-force winds knocked out power.
