Hurricane Helene live: At least six dead as 10ft storm surge hits Florida and flash flood emergency in Georgia
Death toll continues to rise after Helene slammed into Florida’s coast as a Category 4 hurricane, marking one of the most powerful storms to strike US in recent memory
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At least six people have died after Hurricane Helene crashed into Florida as a Category 4 storm, pounding the west coast with “unsurvivable” conditions.
Helene has since been downgraded to a tropical storm but is still packing “life-threatening” conditions as it plows across the county with a flash flood emergency issued for metro Atlanta and as far north as Kentucky’s Appalachia on high alert for heavy rains and landslides.
The hurricane hit the state’s Big Bend region just after 11pm local time on Thursday with 140mph winds and 10ft storm surge.
Wind speeds continued to fall across Friday morning, with Helene being downgraded to a tropical storm as it continues to plough through Georgia.
Since making landfall, the storm has caused “record” flooding across the Gulf Coast, leaving approximately 2.1 million homes and businesses across Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas under blackout conditions on Friday. Apart from Florida, Alabama, and parts of the Carolinas are also at risk of flooding.
The storm was responsible for the deaths of at least five people in Florida and Georgia on Thursday and Friday. Governor Ron DeSantis said at a person was killed after a sign fell onto their car in Tampa. In Georgia’s Wheeler County, a man and a woman were reported to have died following a suspected tornado. In Laurens County, two other deaths were announced on Friday.
Helene’s size is massive compared to previous hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and is one of the largest storms in breadth to hit the region in years, with only three bigger since 1988.
Mapped: Charting Hurricane Helene’s path as catastrophic storm makes landfall
ISS orbits above Hurricane Helene as storm approaches Florida with 120mph winds
Hurricane Helene: Closed airports and hundreds of flights cancelled could leave holidaymakers stranded
CCTV shows cars driving across Tampa bridge as 130mph winds and dangerous waves from Hurricane Helena crash onto road
Death toll from Hurricane Helene rises
One person was killed in Florida when a sign fell on their car, and two people were reported killed in a possible tornado in south Georgia as the storm approached.
Trees that toppled onto homes were blamed for deaths in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Anderson County, South Carolina.
Watch: ISS orbits above Hurricane Helene as storm approaches Florida with 120mph winds
Watch: ISS orbits above Hurricane Helene as storm approaches Florida with 120mph wind
Footage captured by the International Space Station showed Hurricane Helene on Thursday 26 September as it approached Florida. According to a statement on social media platform X, the ISS flew over Helene at 2:25pm Eastern Time. The storm became a major Category 4 hurricane on Thursday with sustained winds near 130mph, the National Hurricane Center said, and was expected to continue gaining power. Helene made landfall around 11pm in Florida’s Big Bend region. After making landfall across the Florida coast, the storm is expected move more slowly over the Tennessee Valley on Friday and Saturday.
Child and dog rescued from flood water as ‘unsurvivable’ Hurricane Helene devastates Florida
Child and dog rescued from flood water as Hurricane Helene devastates Florida
This is the moment a child and dog are rescued from flood water as “unsurvivable” Hurricane Helene devastates Florida. Officers in Hillsborough County were able to pull the child and the dog from the floodwaters and bring them to safety on Thursday (26 September). At least three people have died as Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane on Thursday evening, bringing “catastrophic” conditions. Helene hit Florida’s Big Bend region just after 11pm ET packing sustained winds of around 140 mph.
Pasco Sheriff says it assisted with 200 water rescues
Pasco Sheriff’s Office says water is receding and rescue calls have slowed Friday morning following Helene’s massive impact. The office assisted with 200 water rescues.
Carolinas see impacts from Helene as storm shifts north
As Helene heads through the Carolinas, impacts are shown in social media videos from Asheville and Greenville.
Body cam footage from Florida’s Lee County shows Fort Myers Beach man’s rescue
Tampa Fire Rescue crews fight residential fire, working in floodwaters
The City of Tampa Fire Rescue crews worked amid flooding from Hurricane Helene to fight a fire at a large residential structure in South Tampa.
There were no reported injuries in the blaze and its cause remains under investigation.
Watch: Roads become rivers after Hurricane Helene slammed into Florida
Cars trek across Tampa bridge as its pummelled by huge waves and 130mph winds
Cars drive across Tampa bridge as huge waves from Hurricane Helena crash onto road
Cars were seen driving across the Howard Frankland Bridge in Tampa Bay on Thursday 26 September, as Hurricane Helene waves lashed the roadway. Helene roared ashore Florida’s Big Bend region as one of the most powerful storms to hit the United States, with officials fearing the storm would leave a trail of deaths and widespread destruction as it moved inland. At least one fatality is blamed on the hurricane so far, authorities said, as the Category 4 storm made landfall around 11:10pm Eastern time. Even before its arrival, the storm had caused power outages for over 1 million people and severe flooding in several areas.
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