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Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc across the Southeast, resulting in at least 22 fatalities and leaving millions without electricity before it began to weaken on Friday morning. Officials reported that Florida's Big Bend region experienced widespread destruction after the Category 4 hurricane made landfall just after 11 p.m. ET on Thursday. This marked the most powerful storm ever to hit the area, which connects Florida's panhandle and peninsula.

By dawn on Friday, residents of Florida woke up to severe damage caused by flooding, high-speed winds, and relentless rain. The National Hurricane Center noted water levels in some areas exceeded 15 feet above ground level, based on preliminary storm surge models. In Perry, Florida, authorities had cautioned residents who stayed behind to write their personal information on their bodies for identification. Police Chief Jamie Cruse, who was overseeing rescue operations, admitted regretting not being more forceful in evacuation warnings. He expressed hope that there would not be a significant loss of life once all damage is assessed.

Further south in Clearwater, officials were alarmed after observing first responders rescue elderly residents from knee-deep floodwaters overnight. Mayor Bruce Rector recounted how some homes on an island burned down because rescuers couldn’t reach them due to high waters.

In Georgia, Hurricane Helene is blamed for 11 deaths, including that of a first responder, as stated by Governor Brian Kemp. Pinellas County, Florida reported five deaths overnight, two of which were suspected drownings. Governor Ron DeSantis shared that one person in Dixie County died when a tree fell on a home, and another fatality occurred when a road sign fell onto a car.

North Carolina experienced two storm-related fatalities, including a 4-year-old child involved in a car crash amid heavy rain in Catawba County and an individual in Charlotte who died when a tree collapsed on a home. In South Carolina, officials reported two deaths caused by hurricane-felled trees in Anderson County.

Across the region, over 4.3 million people are facing power outages. Florida Power & Light Company successfully restored power to over 460,000 customers but noted 214,000 remained without electricity pending damage assessment. Duke Energy Florida reported power restorations for nearly 198,000 customers, yet over 402,000 still face outages.

Hurricane Helene, now classified as a tropical storm, continues to head north, promoting damaging winds and potential catastrophic flooding. The National Hurricane Center advised residents in the southern Appalachians to prepare for prolonged power outages. Current weather alerts include a flash flood emergency for the Atlanta metropolitan area, with 12 million people at risk of tropical tornadoes in areas such as Charleston, Wilmington, Charlotte, Raleigh, and Norfolk.

As of 11 a.m. Friday, Helene was located 30 miles southwest of Bryson City, North Carolina, progressing northward with sustained winds of 45 mph. President Joe Biden approved emergency declarations for several states, authorizing federal aid and dispatching over 1,500 federal personnel to assist. Federal Emergency Management Administrator Deanne Criswell is set to visit Florida to assess the damage and coordinate with local officials.