Helene tearing through Georgia; 5 dead; 3.5 million without power

ST. MARKS, Fla. – Helene weakened to a tropical storm as it barreled through Georgia early Friday, causing life-threatening flooding in Atlanta and the Carolinas and knocking out power for millions after slamming northwest Florida.

Helene made landfall at about 11:10 p.m. ET near Perry, Florida, on Thursday with 140-mph winds, making it the first known Category 4 storm to hit Florida’s Big Bend region since records began in 1851.

For several hours, the storm maintained hurricane strength as it pushed inland across northern Florida and into Georgia. By 8 a.m. ET Friday, the National Hurricane Center said Helene was a tropical storm with sustained winds of 60 mph. Racing at 30 mph, the storm was located 35 miles south-southwest of Clemson, South Carolina, and 80 miles eastern-northeast of Atlanta.

At least five storm-related deaths have been reported in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Authorities across the Southeast were rescuing residents trapped in rising floodwaters as Helene soaked much of the region in torrential rain. Over 3.5 million homes and businesses were without power from Florida to the Carolinas and Virginia.

Track the storm:Map Helene’s forecast path through Georgia

Developments:

∎ All hurricane and tropical storm warnings were discontinued along the Florida east coast south of the Flagler and Volusia county line, and along the Florida west coast south of the mouth of the Suwannee River, according to the National Hurricane Center.

∎ Helene is tied as the fourteenth most powerful hurricane to hit anywhere in the U.S. since records have been kept and the seventh most powerful to slam into Florida, according to National Hurricane Center data.

∎ In Tallahassee, more than 50 roads were blocked by downed trees and over 53,000 homes and businesses were without power in the wake of Helene, the city said in a post on X.

Tampa Bay residents say Helene inflicted ‘complete devastation’

In Tampa Bay, residents said they saw vanished beaches, boats that ran into homes and businesses on fire.

“Complete devastation and loss here,” Vikki Hudson, who lives in Largo about three miles from the coast, told USA TODAY on Friday. “The beaches are gone. Everything is under water. Boats pilled on top of houses and yards.”

Hudson said Gulf Boulevard, which runs the St. Petersburg coastline from Pass-A-Grille historic district north to Clearwater, was “completely under water.”

Hudson, who lives about 20 minutes from Treasure Island Beach where her two businesses are − The Island Girl Tiki Bar and The Island Girl Beach Rentals − said she has not been able to check on either because bridges are closed because of widespread flooding.

“We don’t know anything yet, we cannot get to any of the barrier islands,” Hudson said.