With a flash flood warning extended for Habersham and Rabun counties until 4:00 p.m. on Friday, the storm's impact has been far-reaching and destructive.

According to Governor Brian Kemp, who provided updates from the state's public safety headquarters, 11 Georgians have lost their lives, including a first responder. However, ABC News reported a slightly different toll, indicating that 10 people have died due to the storm, with four fatalities occurring in Georgia. The Clayton County Police Department has confirmed that areas around the Southern Regional Medical Center on Upper Riverdale Road are underwater, with both Upper Riverdale Road and Gardenwalk Boulevard experiencing significant flooding.

Numerous road closures have been reported, including blocked streets in Roswell. Oak Haven Drive in the Brookfield subdivision, Hembree Road, Holcomb Bridge Road, and Cox Road have various closures and obstructions, including fallen trees and high water levels. Additionally, power outages and downed traffic signals have compounded the chaos, most notably affecting locations like Azalea Drive and Hembree and Upper Hembree intersections.

Specific areas have required immediate action from emergency services. For instance, a Clayton County police officer's patrol car was destroyed by a falling tree, leading to the officer being hospitalized for minor injuries. In Norcross, a significant power outage has been triggered by downed power poles, with Holcomb Bridge Road particularly affected. Gwinnett County has also seen closure of Little Mill Road due to downed power lines.

Governor Kemp has signed an executive order to deploy an additional 1,000 Georgia National Guard troops to help with recovery efforts, supplementing the 250 troops already in the field. This decisive action aims to support local efforts in restoring normalcy and addressing the extensive damage.

Warnings and alerts remain active across the state. The National Weather Service has issued flash flood emergencies for multiple locations, including Northwestern DeKalb County, Southwestern Gwinnett County, and the Atlanta metro area, due to the storm's potential to cause further damage. In Dublin-Laurens County, two separate incidents related to the storm have resulted in fatalities.

The City of Sandy Springs has advised residents living near Nancy Creek to evacuate to higher grounds due to extreme flooding. Meanwhile, emergency services are conducting water rescues in various locations, including Cobb County and a flooded Buckhead apartment complex. Wind gusts of 50-70 mph are predicted to affect areas east of Atlanta, exacerbating the already critical situation.

As Helene persists and continues northward, its classification has been downgraded to a Category 1 storm with winds up to 90 mph. The impact remains severe, and emergency services are working tirelessly to manage the consequences of this catastrophic event.