PERRY, Fla. — Hurricane Helene, a powerful Category 4 storm, wreaked havoc across the southeastern United States, resulting in at least 64 fatalities and leaving countless residents stranded without shelter.
As the cleanup efforts commenced, communities began to grapple with the widespread destruction and loss.
Janalea England, a resident of Steinhatchee, Florida, described the unprecedented level of homelessness in her community, turning her commercial fish market into a storm donation site to support neighbors affected by the hurricane.
Many in the area were unable to secure insurance for their homes, compounding their struggles.
Helene made landfall late Thursday in Florida’s Big Bend region, boasting winds of 140 mph 225 kph.
As it moved inland, it caused extensive damage across Georgia, where Governor Brian Kemp remarked on the devastation, likening the destruction to a bomb exploding.
The storm continued its path, bringing torrential rains to the Carolinas and Tennessee, leading to severe flooding that strained local infrastructure.
Western North Carolina faced isolation due to landslides and flooding, forcing the closure of Interstate 40 and delaying events such as the East Tennessee State University football game.
Dramatic rescues unfolded, particularly in Unicoi County, Tennessee, where helicopter evacuations took place from a flooded hospital rooftop.
Asheville resident Mario Moraga expressed his heartbreak over the devastation in the Biltmore Village neighborhood, noting the lack of cell service and electricity.
Emergency Services Director Van Taylor Jones acknowledged the challenges in reporting deaths due to downed communication networks, leading families to reach out for assistance through social media.
Now classified as a post-tropical cyclone, Helene lingered over the Tennessee Valley, unleashing record rainfall and flooding. North Carolina faced its worst flooding in a century, with some areas receiving over 2 feet 0.6 meters of rain.
Atlanta recorded 11.12 inches 28.24 centimeters of rain within 48 hours, the highest two-day total since records began in 1878.
President Joe Biden responded to the disaster, calling the devastation “overwhelming” and pledging federal assistance, including a disaster declaration for North Carolina.
Helene proved to be particularly deadly, with at least 25 fatalities reported in South Carolina, marking the deadliest tropical cyclone for the state since Hurricane Hugo in 1989.
Fatalities were also reported in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia. Preliminary damage estimates range from $95 billion to $110 billion, with property damage projected between $15 billion and $26 billion.
Evacuations continued as emergency responders worked to rescue individuals from flooded homes.
Tragically, among the 11 confirmed deaths in Florida, nine individuals drowned in their homes within a mandatory evacuation zone in Pinellas County.
Taylor County, where Helene made landfall, had long evaded direct hits from hurricanes.
However, following the recent impacts of Idalia and two other storms, residents are increasingly aware of the ongoing threat. John Berg, a 76-year-old resident of Steinhatchee, reflected on the harsh realities of climate change and its contribution to the intensity of storms.
As the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, Helene’s ferocity underscores the predictions of an above-average season, influenced by record-warm ocean temperatures.