Hurricane Helen caused widespread damage from Florida to Ohio, killing dozens of people, according to reports.
At least 52 people have died, 19 in South Carolina, 15 in Georgia, at least seven in Florida, two in North Carolina, one in Virginia, CBS News reported Saturday.
“Early reports that we've received indicate that the damage in the counties that were actually in the eye of the storm was more than that in Idalia and Davie counties,” Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a press conference Friday. That's more than the combined total,” he told reporters. To the outlet.
“There's a lot of damage across the state, primarily on the West Coast and the Peninsula,” DeSantis added.
Unusual image of Hurricane Helen's eye wall as it was showered with lightning.
Hurricane Helen is currently a dangerous Category 4 storm. pic.twitter.com/fZnsA0y0UT
— CIRA (@CIRA_CSU) September 26, 2024
The storm made landfall just east of the mouth of the Aucilla River in north Florida around 11:10 p.m. EDT Thursday. According to Go to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). The hurricane, which made landfall as a Category 4, had winds reaching approximately 140 miles per hour. According to To NHC. It then moved north and wind speeds slowed to 45 mph, about the speed of a tropical storm, NHC Director Michael Brennan said. said Friday morning.
Nevertheless, “extremely severe and widespread catastrophic flash flooding conditions” are “extending from North Georgia through northern South Carolina, into western North Carolina, and now into southwestern Virginia,” Brennan wrote. he added. (Related: Wild scenes emerge as America prepares for deadly hurricane)
This is a 15-foot storm surge from a Category 4 hurricane. #Ian It looked like #FortMyers. Well, NHC predicts #Helen It is possible to strengthen to Category 4 (winds 115 km/h before landfall) and may cause storm surges such as:
15-20 feet: Caravelle to Suwannee River, Florida
10-15 feet: Apalachicola… pic.twitter.com/UiivD9kA9Z— Dr. Mona Hemmati (@HemmatiMona) September 25, 2024
As of 10 a.m. CDT Saturday, Helen, which was circling across the Tennessee Valley, was downgraded to a tropical storm. According to To NHC. Major river flooding continues in the southern Appalachians, leaving thousands of households without power in parts of the southeastern United States, including Miami. added.
Flooding and downed power lines pose dangerous hazards, and generators installed within 6 feet of homes can cause deadly carbon monoxide poisoning, the center warned.
desantis told reporters On Saturday, 11 deaths were confirmed across Florida, including Dekle Beach in Taylor County in northern Florida. Despite the county experiencing “really huge storm surges…more than 15 feet” like a hurricane. crashed on the shorethanks to the quick response of both residents and local authorities, there were no deaths reported at the time of writing.
Republican Georgia Governor Brian Kemp talks about the destruction of the Peach State said The Associated Press reported, “It appears that a bomb has exploded.''
UPDATE: More than 50 people have been safely evacuated from Unicoi County Hospital.
This video is from the TEMA District Coordinator who responded to the initial evacuation call on Friday morning. pic.twitter.com/hHrheYUfoh
— Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) (@TennesseeEMA) September 27, 2024
Amid the hurricane's dramatic effects captured on video, Fox News meteorologist Bob Van Dillen said: interrupted his live broadcast A woman is rescued screaming from inside her car in chest-deep floodwaters in Atlanta.
Plus, house washed away, then collapsed in Asheville, North Carolina, ABC11 Eyewitness News picture is shown.
The U.S. Coast Guard also rescued a man and his dog who were stranded in a storm-disabled boat off the coast of Sanibel Island in southwest Florida. video is shown.
In another incident, more than 50 people were pulled safely from the roof of Unicoi County Hospital in Irwin, Tennessee. Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and virginia state police show.
