Weakening Hurricane Helene still ‘extremely dangerous’ after hitting Florida
Helene has weakened to a Category 1 hurricane but has still killed one person, flooded neighbourhoods and left over 2 million homes and businesses without power
Hurricane Helene roared through Florida and Georgia under darkness on Friday as one of the most powerful storms to hit the United States, killing one person, swamping neighbourhoods and leaving more than 2 million homes and businesses without power.
It hit land around midnight, leaving a chaotic landscape of overturned boats in harbours, felled trees, stranded cars and flooded streets, according to images from Tampa, Naples and St Petersburg on Florida’s coast.
“When we wake up tomorrow morning, the chances are there will likely have been more fatalities,” said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, confirming the death of a driver whose car was struck by debris.
Although the hurricane weakened hours after it made landfall, officials warned the storm remained “extremely dangerous” as it surged inland.
Helene is the joint 14th most powerful hurricane to hit in the US since records began, and the seventh most powerful in Florida, according to the National Hurricane Centre (NHC).
It tore a destructive path through Florida into neighbouring Georgia, the centre said, warning residents to stay in shelter from “catastrophic winds”, storm surges and heavy rain.