Hurricane Helene: Several Dead in One of the Most Powerful Storms in U.S. History
Hurricane Helene made landfall late Thursday as one of the most powerful storms to ever hit the United States, with several fatalities reported as ferocious winds and rain lash the southeast.
Helene came ashore around 11:10 p.m. as a Category 4 storm in Florida’s Big Bend, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. It arrived with 140 mile per hour winds, making it the most powerful storm to strike the region and tying as the 14th strongest hurricane to hit anywhere in the U.S. since records began. Flash flood, tornado and high wind warnings were issued across Florida and Georgia.
At least three fatalities have been linked with Helene as of early Friday. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference that one person was killed as they were driving in Tampa “when a sign fell onto the highway.”