Hurricane Helena causes havoc in Florida and Georgia, three dead
Hurricane Helena, a Category 4 storm, hit the American states of Florida and Georgia. Recordings have emerged online showing the extent of the destruction caused by the natural disaster.
3:07 PM EDT, September 27, 2024
Authorities have reported that there are already three fatalities as a result of the storm. One person died in Florida when an object overturned by the wind fell onto their car. In southern Georgia, two fatalities were recorded after a tornado struck a mobile home.
Strong storms swept through much of Florida, causing significant damage. Photos and videos of flooded homes and streets have appeared online. Meteorologists predicted storm surges reaching 20 feet.
Florida authorities had earlier decided to evacuate thousands of people.
State of emergency declared
Over one million homes and businesses in Florida were left without power, and over 50,000 in Georgia were affected. The governors of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia declared a state of emergency.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis anticipated that when Florida residents woke up the next morning, they would likely find additional casualties and property destruction.
Outside of Florida, up to 10 inches of rain has fallen in the mountains of North Carolina, with an additional potential of up to 14 inches, which may cause floods that meteorologists believe could be worse than anything seen in the past century.
The NWS reported that several counties in Georgia could experience hurricane winds exceeding 110 mph.
