At least 18 people have died in Florida and Georgia following the devastating impact of Tropical Storm Helene, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane late Thursday night. The storm brought destructive winds, heavy rains, and widespread damage across the southeastern United States.
In Florida, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office reported five fatalities. Two people were killed on Treasure Island, two on Indian Rocks Beach, and one in Dunedin. Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri described the damage in parts of the area as a “warzone,” warning residents to avoid travelling as roads remain impassable. It’s not safe out there,” Gualtieri emphasized during a media briefing on Friday morning.
In Tampa, a person was killed when a sign fell into the road and struck their vehicle. Tampa Fire and Rescue responded to the accident shortly before 8 p.m. on Thursday night. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addressed the incident during a press conference, urging residents to stay indoors and avoid driving during the storm. Another fatality occurred in Dixie County, Florida, where a tree collapsed onto a home, killing one person.
In Georgia, Governor Brian Kemp confirmed that 11 people have died across the state as a result of the storm. Two of those deaths occurred in Wheeler County when a mobile home was overturned by a suspected tornado. In Pierce County, Assistant Fire Chief Vernon “Leon” Davis was killed when a tree fell on his vehicle while he was clearing storm debris.
Laurens County, Georgia, also reported two deaths on Thursday morning—one due to a tree falling on a home and another in a car crash caused by storm conditions.
In addition to the fatalities in Florida and Georgia, one person was confirmed dead in South Carolina, bringing the storm’s death toll even higher as Helene continues its destructive path.
Gov. Kemp and state officials have warned of widespread power outages and urged residents to remain “weather aware” as Helene pushes further into Georgia. Emergency response teams are working around the clock to assess the damage and restore order, but the situation remains critical in many areas.
As the region recovers from the devastation, officials continue to stress the importance of staying safe and avoiding unnecessary travel until conditions improve.
