IN PHOTOS: Monster Helene leaves catastrophic destruction in its wake

Communities were almost unrecognizable on Friday less than 24 hours after Helene slammed into Florida as a deadly hurricane, the most powerful storm to strike the United States so far this year.

Helene barreled into the Florida coast under the cover of darkness, and sunrise on Friday revealed the first look at the trail of destruction left behind by the Category 4 storm.

Intense winds and a powerful storm surge caused houses to crumble, flung boats onto land and toppled trees in all directions. Millions were left without power as they began to assess the damage caused by Helene, and some areas could be in the dark for over a week due to the catastrophic damage.

At least nine people have died across the Southeast due to the storm.

"In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Helene, hundreds of search and rescue missions were conducted by state personnel, and the state assisted on nearly a thousand others," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a statement on Friday morning. "Cut and toss operations have been underway by 61 FDOT crews since 3 a.m. Over 2,000 miles of roadway have been cleared, and these operations continue."

As the damage in Florida comes into focus, Helene continues to rage farther north, causing devastating flooding in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.