Hurricane Helene has left a trail of destruction across the southeast United States, claiming at least 17 lives and causing widespread flooding. The storm made landfall near Tallahassee, Florida, overnight, bringing catastrophic conditions to the region.
According to the National Hurricane Center, “historic and catastrophic flooding” has affected Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Up to 12 inches of rain is forecast in the Appalachian mountains, with isolated areas expected to receive 20 inches.
Larry Bailey, a resident of Perry, Florida, described the terrifying experience of sheltering in his home with his family. “Once the eye got to us, that’s when everything started to intensify… I am Floridian, so I’m kind of used to it, but it was real scary at one point.”
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp reported 11 fatalities in his state, including an emergency responder. Authorities in Pinellas County, Florida, confirmed five storm-related deaths, and one person died in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The storm has left over 4.3 million homes and businesses without power across Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Residents in Atlanta used buckets to empty water from their ground-floor windows, while others struggled to cope with the devastating aftermath.
Curtis Drafton, a search and rescue volunteer in Steinhatchee, Florida, questioned whether such extreme weather events are becoming the “new normal.” “We have got to start wondering: is this the new normal? Is it going to happen every year?”
President Joe Biden and state authorities had urged residents to heed evacuation warnings before Helene hit. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis mobilized the National Guard and ordered thousands of personnel to be ready for search and rescue operations, emphasizing the importance of taking precautions.
