Southeast US devastated by remnants of Hurricane Helene

The remnants of Hurricane Helene have caused devastation across the Southeastern United States, leaving dozens dead, many stranded, and millions without power.

Helene, the strongest hurricane recorded to hit Florida’s Big Bend region, has since weakened to a post-tropical cyclone but is still bringing catastrophic flooding, powerful winds, and unthinkable damage up the east coast from Florida to Virginia. As of Sunday, at least 60 people were reported dead.

Landslides and flooding as a result of the tropical storm have left entire towns, families, even hospitals cut off and stranded needing rescue. Many across five states were left unprepared for the life-changing destruction as Helene intensified quickly during the week. Hurricane researchers estimated that unusually warm ocean temperatures combined with swift changes in wind heights may be the reason for the intense development.

Helene was projected to continue to weaken on Sunday as millions recover from the aftermath that has devastated the south-eastern region of the country.

The Sunshine State was first hit by Helene on Thursday night, when the storm was still categorized as a Hurricane carrying 140 mph winds.

The storm caused hundreds of flash flooding warnings in the state as it continued to move inland. More than two million people had been left without power at one point, with 233,226 still without power Sunday morning according to PowerOutage.us.

Videos have shown devastating destruction, with homes being washed away in floods. The sheriff of Taylor County recently revealed that in the small community of Keaton Beach, 90% of the homes are gone.

Ahead of the storm, Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in 61 counties of Florida. Since it made landfall, the state’s National Guard has engaged in several rescue missions, saving around 149 people and 55 animals via the ground and by air.

DeSantis has touted the efforts of the search and rescue teams, saying at a Friday press conference, “This is not something that’s easy. The conditions were still very problematic in many respects, up and down the state, yet we had our folks respond.

“While many people across the country were sound asleep, you had these folks that were out there putting themselves on the line and helping their fellow Floridians,” the governor continued.

At least 11 people have been declared dead in the state.

While Helene continues to weaken, around 687,268 homes and businesses in Georgia remain without power.

In the city of Valdosta, just north of the Florida border, residents have seen their homes devastated by fallen trees, while brick walls in some downtown buildings were completely blown away by the storm.

“We’ve got a lot, a lot of damage,” resident Ronney Bythwood told NBC News. “This is like a war zone."

Georgia Power, the largest utility provider in the state, warned that restoring electricity to residents and companies may be subject to “extensive delays” due to the intense damage across the state.

On Saturday, Gov. Brian Kemp revealed that at least 17 people had died as a result of the storm, including a one-month-old infant. Two were also declared dead after a suspected tornado hit central Georgia on Thursday. Kemp warned those numbers would only continue to grow in the coming days.

“This storm spared no one,” he said during a press conference.

Western North Carolina was devastated by the Helene over the weekend, with necessary supplies being airlifted to that part of the state as floods, mudslides, and landslides have cut off road access.

Hundreds of thousands have been left without power and cellular service in what some have called “biblical” destruction.

“We have biblical devastation through the county,” Ryan Cole, Buncombe County’s assistant emergency services director, told the Washington Post. “We have biblical flooding here.”

As of Sunday, around 554,389 homes and businesses remained without power, per PowerOutage.Us.

Asheville, North Carolina, has been hit particularly hard, with most routes into the city completely impassable or destroyed.

Some residents around Asheville revealed some had no time to evacuate as the tropical storm hit the region.

“I think everyone was unprepared for this,” North Carolinian Richie Gedihovic told NPR’s WFAE. “I got an emergency message to evacuate at 5 a.m. yesterday morning, but it was too late and already flooding.”

Another local, Ben Dunbar, told the outlet that his family was running out of drinking water, forcing him to trek to a nearby Shell station for snacks and drinks.

“I was not prepared enough,” Dunbar said. “I didn’t take it seriously.”

Dramatic photos show roads and bridges completely collapsed, as other streets have completely transformed into waterways. Parts of the state saw well over two feet of rain, with Yancey County reporting as much as 29.58 inches in 48 hours, per USA Today.

Amid the flooding damage, two tornados also touched down in North Carolina on Friday, injuring over a dozen people and downing trees and powerlines.

With hundreds of roads closed across the state due to the damage, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Friday his aim was to save lives.

“The priority now is saving lives,” Cooper said during a briefing. “With the rain that they already had been experiencing before Helene’s arrival, this is one of the worst storms in modern history for parts of western North Carolina.”

As of Saturday night, at least 10 people in the state were confirmed dead as a result of the storm. More than 200 people have been saved in water and helicopter rescues, state officials said .

Areas like Erwin, Tennessee — around 40 miles north of Asheville — have also seen detrimental flooding, leading to evacuations and critical rescue missions.

The Unicoi County Hospital in Erwin was completely flooded as of Friday, as up to 10 inches of rain fell in the region in just 48 hours.

Local reports revealed that over 50 people were rescued from the roof of the hospital while seven were saved via boats.

Amid the rescue efforts, state officials warned that the Nolichucky Dam in eastern Tennessee was at risk of failure as the Nolichucky river was rapidly rising and filled with debris. On Friday, the river was measured more than 22 feet higher than what was recorded just days before Helene made landfill in Florida.

Luckily by Saturday afternoon, officials with the Tennessee Valley Authority revealed the dam was “stable and secure.”

Over the weekend, the state saw torrential downpours and heavy winds with gusts as high as 40 mph in some areas. Around 26,855 people remained without power on Sunday as more rain — up to three inches — was expected in parts of Tennessee and the Ohio Valley, according to NBC News.

It was not immediately clear how many had died in Tennessee as a result of Helene; however, Jimmy Erwin, director of emergency management in Unicoi County, confirmed on Saturday that there have been some deaths.

Erwin did reveal that around five to six people remained missing heading into Sunday, according to the New York Times.

As of Sunday, South Carolina continued to see the highest number of power outages, with around 926,782 homes and businesses without power, per PowerOutage.us.

Heavy rains, severe flooding, and hazardous winds with gusts over 80 mph caused life-threatening risks in the area that shocked and devastated local officials. Some areas saw more than 15 inches of rainfall as a result of the storm, according to WIS-TV.

The National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg South Carolina revealed in a Facebook post that the effects of Helene makes the storm “the worst event in our office’s history.”

At least 23 people have been reported dead in the state, including two firefighters. Gov. Henry McMaster has warned that the number could grow.

“We believe there will be more, but they have not been confirmed,” he said during a Friday briefing. “We ask that you keep all of those families and friends in your prayers.”

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Amid flooding risks, officials with the National Weather Service also confirmed that the state was hit by “many tornadoes,” according to WIS-TV.

“In fact, the National Weather Service issues 63 tornado warnings statewide,” NWS Warning Coordination Meteorologist John Quagiliariello told the outlet.