CRAWFORDVILLE, Fla. (AP) – Hurricane Helene roared ashore as a powerful Category 4 storm in a sparsely populated region of Florida, peeling siding off buildings, trapping residents in rising floodwaters and knocking out power to millions of customers. At least five people were reportedly killed.
The storm hit the ground Thursday evening with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (225 kph) in the rural Big Bend region, home to fishing villages and vacation retreats where the Panhandle and the Florida peninsula meet.
Video posted on social media showed sheets of rain falling and siding peeling off buildings in Perry, Fla., near where the storm arrived. A local news channel showed an overturned house.
First responders were in boats early Friday to rescue people trapped by flooding in Citrus County, about 120 miles (193 kilometers) south of Perry.
“If you are stuck and need help, please call rescuers – DO NOT TRY TO MAKE SOME WATER YOURSELF,” the sheriff’s office warned in a Facebook post. Authorities said the water could contain live wires, sewage, sharp objects and other debris.
Nearly 4 million homes and businesses were without power Friday morning in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, according to poweroutage.uswhich tracks utility reports.
One person was killed in Florida when a sign fell on their car, and two people were reported killed in a possible tornado in southern Georgia as the storm approached. Trees that toppled onto homes have been blamed for deaths in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Anderson County, South Carolina.
AP correspondent Jennifer King reports that Helene is heading inland, bringing dangerous tropical storm-force winds and rain to the southeastern United States.
The hurricane has come ashore near the mouth of the Aucilla River on Florida’s Gulf Coast. This location was only about 32 kilometers northwest of where Hurricane Idalia struck last year with almost the same ferocity and caused considerable damage.
Flooded streets after Hurricane Helene are seen in Madeira Beach, Fla., Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (Max Chesnes/Tampa Bay Times via AP)
As the eye of the hurricane passed near Valdosta, Georgia, a city of 55,000 near the Florida border, dozens of people gathered early Friday in a darkened hotel lobby. The wind whistled and howled outside.
The electricity was out, with emergency lights, flashlights and cell phones in the hallways providing the only illumination. Water leaked from light fixtures in the lobby dining area and debris from the roof fell to the ground outside.
Fermin Herrera, 20, his wife and their 2-month-old daughter left their room on the top floor of the hotel, where they took refuge because they feared trees would fall on their Valdosta home.
“We heard rumbling,” Herrera said, rocking the sleeping baby in a hallway downstairs. “At first we didn’t see anything. After a while, the intensity increased. It sounded like a gutter banging against our window. So we made the decision to leave. »
In Thomas County, Georgia, where residents were under a curfew, the sheriff’s office announced it had been extended until midday Friday.
“This curfew helps protect first responders and citizens in our community, as conditions are still very dangerous. Please shelter in place,” the office posted online.
Hélène is the third storm to hit the city in just over a year. Tropical Storm Debby knocked out power to thousands in August, while Hurricane Idalia damaged about 1,000 homes in Valdosta and surrounding Lowndes County a year ago.
“I feel like a lot of us know what to do now,” Herrera said. “We saw storms and grew thicker skins.”
Shortly after crossing land, Helene weakened to a tropical storm, with its maximum sustained winds dropping to 70 mph (110 km/h). As of 5 a.m., the storm was about 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of Macon, Georgia, and about 100 miles (165 kilometers) southeast of Atlanta, moving north at 30 mph (48 km/h), reported the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Forecasters expected the system to continue to weaken as it moves toward Tennessee and Kentucky and drop heavy rain on the Appalachian Mountains, with a risk of mudslides and flash floods.
Even before landing, the wrath of the storm was widely felt, with sustained tropical storm force winds and hurricane force gusts along the west coast of Florida. Water covered a road in Siesta Key, near Sarasota, and covered some intersections in St. Pete Beach. Wood and other debris from a fire in Cedar Key a week ago washed ashore in rising waters.
Beyond Florida, up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain fell in the mountains of North Carolina, with up to 14 inches (36 centimeters) more possible before the deluge ends, paving the way to flooding that forecasters say could be worse than anything. seen in the last century.
“Please write your name, date of birth and important information on your arm or leg in a PERMANENT MARKER so you can be identified and notify your family,” the mostly rural Taylor County Sheriff’s Office warned. on Facebook. jobdire advice similar to what other officials have given during past hurricanes.
School districts and several universities canceled classes. Airports in Tampa, Tallahassee and Clearwater were closed Thursday, while cancellations were widespread elsewhere in Florida and beyond.
One day before leaving for the United States, Hélène flooded parts of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsulaflooding streets and toppling trees as it brushed past the resort town of Cancun and passed out to sea. In western Cuba, Hélène cut power to more than 200,000 homes and businesses as it grazed the island.
Prepare for a hurricane
Jaime Hernandez, director of emergency management in Hollywood on Florida’s Atlantic coast, says his team encourages people to do three key things: make a plan, have an emergency kit and stay informed.
Preparing for a hurricane also involves obtaining supplies in advance, including nonperishable food and water, in case the power goes out and supplies are low in the community. Preparation also includes making sure all medical items and medications are ready in case people are unable to leave their homes.
Emergency Kit Necessities
The general rule of thumb is to consume 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of water per day per person for about seven days, Hernandez says. It’s also a good idea to have cash on hand, as ATMs may not work.
Evacuate before a storm
Officials advise residents to listen to their local emergency management officials, who will have the most up-to-date information on evacuation zones.
These excerpts were originally published on July 2, 2024 in The 2024 hurricane season is here. Here’s how to stay prepared.
At one point, forecasters feared hurricane conditions could extend up to 100 miles north of the Georgia-Florida line. Nighttime curfews have been imposed in many southern Georgia cities and counties.
“This is one of the biggest storms we’ve ever had,” Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said.
For Atlanta, Helene could be the worst strike on a major inland South city in 35 years, said Marshall Shepherd, a professor of meteorology at the University of Georgia.
Helen is the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which began on June 1. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year. due to record ocean temperatures.
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Payne reported from Tallahassee, Florida, and Hollingsworth reported from Kansas City, Missouri. Associated Press journalists Seth Borenstein in New York; Jeff Amy in Atlanta; Russ Bynum in Valdosta, Georgia; Danica Coto in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Andrea Rodríguez in Havana; Mark Stevenson and María Verza in Mexico; and Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon, contributed to this report.
