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
Airports closed and hundreds of flights cancelled potentially leaving holidaymakers stranded
Airports remain closed and hundreds of flights have been cancelled across the southeastern US as “life-threatening” Hurricane Helene moves north across Florida and into Georgia.
At 8am UK time (3am Eastern Daylight Time), the National Hurricane Center said: “Helene continues to produce hurricane force winds that are moving further into Georgia.
“This is an dangerous and life-threatening situation. Persons should not leave their shelters and remain in place through the passage of these life-threatening conditions.”
The Independent’s travel expert Simon Calder has the full story.
Hurricane Helene: Closed airports and cancelled flights could hit holidaymakers
Tampa airport in Florida will only reopen ‘following a damage assessment that will begin as soon as it is safe to do so’
Georgia Governor gives update in wake of Helene making landfall
Just in: At least five dead in wake of devastating Hurricane Helene
Another two deaths have been reported in Georgia following Helene making landfall, bringing the total death toll up to five across Southeastern US, with more expected across the morning.
On Friday, County Emergency Management Agency Director Bill Laird said one person died after a tree fell on a house and another died in a car crash.
It comes hours after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis confirmed that at least one was person was killed in the Tampa area after a traffic sign fell on a vehicle.
A further two people were killed in Wheeler County, Georgia after their trailer was picked up by the tornado and dragged across Highway 19 before landing in a field, according to County EMA Director Steve Adams.
Moment Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida
Watch live: Hurricane Helene makes landfall in Florida as catastrophic Category 4 storm
Live: Hurricane Helene makes landfall in Florida as catastrophic Category 4 storm
Watch live from Clearwater, Florida, on Friday 27 September after Hurricane Helene roared ashore the state's Big Bend region as one of the most powerful storms to hit the United States.
Fallen trees and power lines strewn across ‘nearly every road’
Taylor County Sheriff’s Office warned the fallen trees and downed power lines are littering “almost every road,” it said in a statement on Friday.
“Please stay off the roads until we let you know they are safe and clear!! Many trees down and power lines across almost every road,” it wrote on Facebook.
Helene reached the Taylor County coast at about 11:10pm as a Category 4 hurricane, the National Hurricane Center confirmed on Thursday night.
The Sheriff’s Office’s announcement comes hours after it made the morbid Facebook request asking for those who didn’t follow evacuation advice to write their personal details across their limbs for ID purposes.
Dramatic moment Coast Guard rescue man and dog after boat damage by Hurricane Helene
States set to be soaked by 20in rain causing ‘record’ floods and landslides
The National Hurricane Center has warned of record flooding and landslides due to torrential downpours across Southeastern US.
While Helene’s wind speeds are expected to continue slowing – with it being downgraded to a tropical storm on Friday morning – the NHC has warned of life-threatening storm surge which could still reach up to 10ft in parts of Florida.
Isolated rainfall of 20in could soak portions of the Southeastern US into the Southern Appalachians.
Heavy rains “will likely result in catastrophic and potentially life-threatening flash and urban flooding, along with significant and record river flooding,” the NHC said.
Authorities make morbid request to those defying evacuation protocols
Taylor County urged residents who defied the county’s mandatory evacuation order to write identifying details on their arm or leg in permanent marker ahead of Hurricane Helene making landfall in Florida on Thursday evening.
Taylor County Sheriff’s Office’s Division of Emergency Management made the morbid request in a Facebook statement ahead of Helene making landfall.
“If you or someone you know chose not to evacuate, PLEASE write your, Name, birthday and important information on your arm or leg in A PERMANENT MARKER so that you can be identified and family notified,” the department wrote on Thursday evening.
Helene reached the coast near the small town of Perry, in Taylor County at around 11:10pm as a Category 4 hurricane, the National Hurricane Center confirmed on Thursday night.
One person was killed as sustained wind speeds topped out at 140 miles per hour, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis confirmed.
Tracking Helene: where is the storm heading?
Helene, which was downgraded from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm on Friday morning, is currently charting a path through Georgia this morning.
It initially hit the Florida Gulf Coast late last night as a Category 4 hurricane, with the death toll currently standing at three.
The storm’s is expected to center over central northeaster Georgia before it is expected to turn northwestward and slow down over the Tennessee Valley later today, the National Hurricane Center said.
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