Rescue teams are racing to save those trapped by the destruction left behind by Hurricane Helene, which has claimed at least 30 lives across four states. The storm, which struck with Category 4 force late Thursday, wreaked havoc across Florida, Georgia, and parts of the southeastern U.S., toppling trees, flooding homes, and leaving entire communities devastated.
Hurricane Helene, with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (225 kph) at landfall, slammed into Florida’s rural Big Bend area, snapping trees like twigs and tearing apart homes. Its impact was felt far beyond the coastline, with destructive flooding reported as far north as North Carolina. In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp said dozens of people remained trapped in damaged buildings as rescue crews with chainsaws worked to clear roads blocked by debris.
It’s heartbreaking,” said Stephen Tucker, a Florida resident, whose town of Perry saw a church roof torn off. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis described the damage as worse than the combined impact of Hurricanes Idalia and Debby. “It’s demoralizing,” he added.
In Pinellas County, Florida, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri reported five fatalities in neighbourhoods where residents had been urged to evacuate. Despite warnings, many chose to stay, hiding in attics to escape rising floodwaters. We tried to launch boats, we tried to use high-water vehicles, and we just met with too many obstacles,” Gualtieri said, warning that the death toll could rise as crews continue searching flooded homes.
Helene’s reach extended beyond Florida. In southern Georgia, multiple hospitals were left without power, and in North Carolina, a lake famously featured in the movie “Dirty Dancing” overtopped its dam, causing further flooding. Floodwaters even reached cities as far inland as Atlanta, where only the roofs of cars could be seen in some neighbourhoods.
Rescue missions were ongoing across the region. In Tampa, areas were accessible only by boat, and authorities warned residents to stay out of floodwaters that may contain live wires, sewage, and other dangerous debris. “If you are trapped, please call for rescuers – DO NOT try to tread floodwaters yourself,” urged the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office.
The storm also affected infrastructure across the Southeast. More than 4 million homes and businesses were without power as of Friday morning, according to poweroutage.us. Airports, bridges, and roads across Florida were being inspected for damage, while schools and universities cancelled classes across multiple states.
Helene, which weakened to a tropical storm shortly after making landfall, continues to move inland, bringing heavy rain and the risk of mudslides and flash flooding to Tennessee, Kentucky, and the Appalachian Mountains.
The storm has been described as part of an increasing pattern of extreme weather linked to climate change, with rapidly warming waters contributing to the intensity and frequency of such storms.
As rescue operations continue, President Joe Biden said he was praying for survivors and that FEMA had deployed over 1,500 workers, assisting with 400 rescues by Friday morning.
