Hurricane Helene Ravages Southeastern U.S., Killing Dozens and Leaving Millions Without Power

Hurricane Helene devastated the southeastern U.S., causing widespread destruction, killing dozens, and leaving over 3 million people without power. The storm made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane, bringing winds of 140 mph (225 kph) before moving through Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee.

Its powerful winds and torrential rains uprooted trees, splintered homes, and flooded rivers and creeks. Western North Carolina was severely impacted, with landslides cutting off access to roads and highways, leading to dramatic rescue operations, including one in Tennessee where patients and staff were airlifted from a hospital surrounded by floodwaters.

The National Hurricane Center reported that Helene now downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, would linger over the Tennessee Valley through the weekend, bringing ongoing flood threats. Warnings for flash floods and high winds were still in place for parts of the southern and central Appalachian regions.

Tragically, at least 44 people were confirmed dead, including firefighters, a mother and her twin infants, and an elderly woman hit by a falling tree. These deaths occurred in multiple states, including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.

In North Carolina, a dam featured in the movie *Dirty Dancing* overflowed, prompting evacuations in nearby neighborhoods. Although the dam was not immediately at risk of failing, it raised alarm in the region. Elsewhere in Tennessee, residents of Newport were evacuated due to concerns over another dam, though it was later declared stable.

Tornadoes also caused destruction in parts of North Carolina, critically injuring four people, while heavy rainfall in Atlanta broke historical records, submerging neighborhoods and only leaving rooftops visible above the floodwaters.

The financial toll from Helene is expected to be staggering, with Moody’s Analytics estimating between $15 billion and $26 billion in property damage. Experts suggest that climate change played a role in the rapid intensification of the storm, as warming ocean waters fueled its transformation into a powerful hurricane.

Florida’s Big Bend region, a less developed part of the state with vast salt marshes and pine flatwoods, was severely impacted. Local residents like Susan Sauls Hartway, whose house was swept away by the storm, face uncertainty about rebuilding as wealthier out-of-state property owners also consider their next steps.

Emergency responders continue to assess the damage, with officials warning of potential further casualties as search and rescue teams go door-to-door in the hardest-hit areas. In Pinellas County, Florida, some who had ignored evacuation orders were found dead, while others narrowly escaped rising waters by seeking refuge in their attics.

Georgia and the Carolinas also experienced significant destruction, including fatal accidents involving firefighters. As recovery efforts ramped up, President Joe Biden expressed sympathy for the victims, while FEMA deployed 1,500 workers to assist with rescues and relief efforts. The long-term recovery from Helene will likely take weeks, if not months, given the widespread devastation across multiple states.