ATLANTA – At least nine people have died from Hurricane Helene, which weakened to a tropical storm Friday as it moved inland through Georgia.
Helene continues to weaken as it progresses further inland. As of 5 a.m., the storm was about 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of Macon and 100 miles (165 kilometers) southeast of Atlanta, moving north at 30 mph (48 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
The storm swept across Florida, Georgia, and into North Carolina, leaving at least nine dead and millions without power across the Southeast. Significant flooding has been reported, with more rain expected Friday as Helene moves toward Tennessee.
The storm made landfall Thursday night in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane. Forecasters had warned that the massive system could create a “nightmare” storm surge, bringing dangerous winds and rain to much of the southeastern U.S.
In a 4 a.m. update, the National Hurricane Center reported the storm was about 100 miles from Augusta and 40 miles from Macon, moving at about 30 mph.
Warnings and Forecasts
Hurricane warnings and tropical storm warnings remain in effect through early Friday morning. The storm is expected to continue slowing and weakening throughout the day, turning northwest to move through Georgia toward the Tennessee-North Carolina border.
Death Toll Rises to 9
At least nine people have died as Hurricane Helene battered the South. In Charlotte, North Carolina, one person was killed and another injured when a tree fell on a house, according to the Mecklenburg EMS Agency. Four people were killed in Georgia overnight as the storm advanced.
In south Georgia, two people died when a possible tornado struck a mobile home on Thursday night, according to Wheeler County Sheriff Randy Rigdon. Wheeler County is located about 70 miles (113 kilometers) southeast of Macon. Two more people died in Laurens County, central Georgia, local officials reported.
Forecasters had warned of severe tornadoes, and the National Weather Service issued 12 tornado warnings for parts of Georgia between 1 p.m. and 11 p.m. Thursday.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp expressed his condolences, urging residents to remain vigilant: “We are saddened to learn of the loss of two lives in Wheeler County this evening… We urge all Georgians to brace for further impact from Helene, remain vigilant, and pray for all those affected.”
In Florida, one person died in Dixie County in the Big Bend region when a tree fell on a home, and another was killed on Interstate 4 near Tampa when a sign fell on a car, according to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
DeSantis cautioned that more fatalities may be discovered: “When we wake up in the morning, chances are there will be more fatalities,” he said, adding that another press conference will be held Friday morning.
Millions Without Power Across Four States
More than four million people across the South are waking up without power Friday morning in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
In Florida, more than 1.1 million customers are without power, while South Carolina has 1.3 million affected. Georgia has over 1 million customers without power, and North Carolina has another 600,000 in the dark.
Helene’s Landfall in Perry, Florida
The National Hurricane Center reported that Helene made landfall at 11:10 p.m. EDT near the mouth of the Aucilla River in Florida’s Big Bend region. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (225 kph).
Helene triggered hurricane and flash flood warnings stretching beyond the coast into northern Georgia and western North Carolina. Before landfall, nearly 900,000 homes and businesses in Florida had already lost power. The governors of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, the Carolinas, and Virginia all declared states of emergency in response to the storm.
This marks the first Category 4 hurricane to make landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region since at least 1859.
