Dozens of dead and 60 million people across 12 US states under storm warning from Hurricane Helene
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At least 43 people have lost their lives, and millions remain without power after Hurricane Helene tore through the southeastern U.S. on Friday, according to the BBC.
Rescue teams, using boats, helicopters, and large vehicles, are continuing efforts to reach those stranded by floodwaters, including around 50 workers and patients who were trapped on the roof of a flooded hospital in Tennessee.
The storm, which is the strongest ever recorded in Florida's Big Bend, made landfall Thursday night and has since pushed into Georgia and the Carolinas. Insurers and financial experts estimate the damage caused by the hurricane could total billions of dollars.
Over 50 people are stranded on the roof of a Tennessee hospital on Friday after floodwaters from Hurricane Helene surged, hindering evacuation efforts.
Deaths have been reported in several states as search and rescue teams are still searching for those trapped after the storm passed, the CBC reports.
Hurricane Helene left a massive trail of devastation across Florida and the southeastern U.S. on Friday, claiming at least 25 lives in four states. The storm snapped trees, destroyed homes, and forced rescue crews into urgent operations to save people from rising floodwaters.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp reported that dozens of people remained trapped in buildings damaged by the Category 4 hurricane. Helene made landfall late Thursday in Florida's rural Big Bend region, with maximum sustained winds of 225 km/h, (140 mph) striking fishing villages and vacation spots where the Panhandle and peninsula converge.
Hurricane Helene, a massive storm, hit parts of Mexico on Wednesday and by Friday morning, 60 million people in the US were under storm alert.
On Friday, six states have declared states of emergency as Tropical Storm Helene continues to impact the Southeast after making landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in Florida's Big Bend area. Despite weakening, the storm has caused significant damage due to heavy rains and strong winds.
Over one million people were without power as Hurricane Helene swept through Florida and into Georgia on Friday, the BBC reported.
As the most powerful storm ever to hit Florida's Big Bend, it is now approaching Atlanta, which is one of the largest cities in the United States.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned that additional fatalities are "likely" as the storm brought wind speeds of 140 mph (225 km/h) and rainfall measuring six meters (20 feet) upon landfall.
Over 60 million people across 12 states are under storm warnings. The states that have declared emergencies include:
- Florida: 61 of 67 counties are under a state of emergency.
- Georgia: All 159 counties are under a state of emergency.
- North Carolina: Gov. Roy Cooper warned of heavy rain and possible catastrophic flooding.
- South Carolina: Gov. Henry McMaster expects flooding, high winds, and isolated tornadoes.
- Alabama: President Biden approved federal assistance for affected areas.
- Virginia: Gov. Glenn Youngkin highlighted the risk of flooding, especially in the southwest region due to heavy rainfall from the storm’s outer bands.
With a storm surge capable of submerging homes, the hurricane prompted residents already on Wednesday to evacuate, close schools, and states of emergency to be declared throughout the southeastern U.S. according to CNN.
As of Wednesday, Helene was about 735 kilometers southwest of Tampa, Florida, and is expected to intensify, making landfall on Florida's northwestern coast on Thursday evening as a Category 4 storm, with winds exceeding 208 km/h (129 mph) according to CBC.
As of 5 a.m. Thursday, Helene had maximum sustained winds of 90 mph, (145 km/h) and it was moving to the northeast at 12 mph, the hurricane center said.
On Friday September 27th, The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department responded to multiple calls of mostly swift water rescues on Thursday night through early Friday morning. They rescued about 25 people, they told CNN.
Photo Credit:
Damage from Hurricane Ian in 2022 .Flickr Commons License.
Photo by: Florida Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement response in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.
September 30, 2022.