Hurricane Helene Landfall: 3 Fatalities and 2 Million Plus Left Powerless

Hurricane

Hurricane Helene Landfall: 3 Fatalities and 2 Million Plus Left Powerless / Hurricane Helene Causes Tragedy and Widespread Destruction

At least three lives have been claimed by Hurricane Helene, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane near Perry, Florida, late Thursday night. As officials urge residents to remain indoors due to ongoing flooding, the storm has since weakened to a tropical storm while moving northward across Georgia, delivering strong winds and heavy rain in what the National Hurricane Center warns are "life-threatening" conditions.

As of 5 a.m. ET, Helene was located about 40 miles east of Macon, Georgia, with sustained winds reaching 70 mph. The storm struck Florida’s Big Bend region at 11:10 p.m., prompting emergency services to conduct rescue operations for individuals trapped by rapidly rising waters.

A storm surge warning remains in effect for Florida's west coast, predicting surges of up to 10 feet from Indian Pass to Tampa Bay. The impact has already been deadly: a driver lost their life when a sign fell on their vehicle in Tampa, while two individuals perished when a tornado overturned a mobile home in Wheeler County, Georgia. Additionally, a firefighter was killed by a falling tree in Pierce County, Georgia.

Currently, around 3 million people are without power across Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, raising concerns that some outages could last for weeks. The full extent of the damage will take time to assess as emergency responders continue to grapple with severe flooding and heavy rainfall.

Hurricane Helene Landfall: 3 Fatalities and 2 Million Plus Left Powerless