Helene continues deadly onslaught across Southeast

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Tropical Storm Helene continues its deadly onslaught on the Southeast as destructive winds and torrential rain wreak havoc on the region, prompting the first-ever Flash Flood Emergency issued for downtown Atlanta.

At least five deaths have been reported so far, including three in Georgia, one in Florida and one in North Carolina.

TRACKING HELENE: LIVE MAPS, POWER OUTAGES, WIND PROJECTIONS AND MORE

In Wheeler County, Georgia, at least two people have reportedly been killed because of the storm after a mobile home was damaged during one of the many Tornado Warnings that were issued. According to a report from FOX 5 in Atlanta, a third death in Georgia is also being investigated after reports of a vehicle that crashed into a tree in Colquitt County.

In Florida, at least one person was killed after a crash on Interstate 4 in the Tampa area that involved a highway sign on top of a vehicle.

And in North Carolina, firefighters say a tree fell onto a home in Charlotte, trapping two people inside. One of the victims was taken to a local hospital, and the second victim was found dead inside the home. Firefighters say children who were also inside at the time were not physically harmed.

FIRST-EVER FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY ISSUED IN ATLANTA AS HELENE’S FURY PROMPTS WATER RESCUES, RISING DEATH TOLL

This image shows flooding in Haywood County, North Carolina.

(@HaywoodCountyES/X)

Helene made landfall about 10 miles west-southwest of Perry, Florida, at 11:10 p.m. ET Thursday, and impacts have been felt across the Southeast and into portions of the mid-Atlantic as the monster storm pushed farther inland and began to weaken.

While wind does remain a concern, the greatest threat from Helene continues to be the flash flooding as torrential rain falls across the region, sending rivers and streams out of their banks, onto roads and into communities, trapping residents.

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The flash flood threat stretches from the Southeast into the mid-Atlantic, where multiple Flash Flood Emergencies were issued early Friday morning, including the first-ever Flash Flood Emergency issued for Atlanta.

At least seven other Flash Flood Emergencies were also issued in western North Carolina from Asheville to the Charlotte area.

The Asheville Fire Department said on X that a mandatory evacuation of the Swannanoa River Valley was underway because of the flooding, and a shelter has been opened up for displaced residents.

According to a post on X from Haywood County Emergency Services, residents in portions of Waynesville, North Carolina, are being told to evacuate because of the potentially deadly situation that’s unfolding.

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“Leave now,” officials said. “Climb to higher ground. Do not drive through the water.”

Local officials also said that emergency sirens in town have been sounded to alert people of the potential danger as torrential rain continues to fall, leading to the widespread flooding.

Officials are urging people to avoid the area until further notice.

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Water rescues underway in Florida, Georgia

Countless emergency crews from Florida to Georgia are responding to reports of people being trapped in their homes and vehicles as rivers and streams rapidly rise due to the flooding from relentless rain that has been pounding the region.

According to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office in Florida, first responders have so far responded to more than 100 water rescue calls and have rescued at least 65 people with additional water rescues ongoing.

FLORIDA POLICE GIVE MORBID ADVICE TO THOSE WHO DIDN’T EVACUATE FOR HELEN’S HISTORIC STORM SURGE

This image shows a water rescue due to Helene in Pasco County, Florida.

(@PascoSheriff/X)

In Georgia, FOX 5 Atlanta reports fire crews are using boats to rescue families trapped by floodwaters in their homes near Peachtree Creek in northwest Atlanta.

Evacuations have also been ordered for some residents in Sandy Springs, Georgia, near Nancy Creek, and officials have told people to seek higher ground immediately because of the rapidly rising water.

VIDEO: LIKELY TORNADO DAMAGES FLORIDA HOME AHEAD OF HURRICANE HELENE

A dramatic rescue was also captured live on FOX Weather early Friday morning in Atlanta.

Cameras were rolling when several residents and pets were being directed to safety after flooding was reported, and the video shows a woman with a baby strapped to her chest being led out of the water to dry ground.

Millions without power across the Southeast as Helene’s winds batter region

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Power outages across the region began to rise as soon as the first impacts from then-Hurricane Helene began to batter the region on Thursday.

More than 3.6 million outages were reported from the Southeast to the mid-Atlantic, including more than 1.1 million outages in Florida, 1.3 million in South Carolina and more than 1 million in Georgia.

WATCH: FOX WEATHER METEOROLOGIST RESCUES WOMAN FROM RISHING FLOODWATERS IN ATLANTA

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Many of the power outages are attributed to the destructive winds produced by Helene, including a 99-mph gust in Perry, a 75-mph gust near Jacksonville, Florida, and a 72-mph gust at Jacksonville International Airport.

Strong winds were also reported in Georgia, where an 88-mph wind gust was reported in Valdosta, an 86-mph gust in Alma and a 75-mph gust in Savannah.

‘Unsurvivable’ storm surge submerges Florida’s Big Bend

FOX Weather’s Ian Oliver said the surge quickly submerged streets around St. Pete Beach on Thursday evening when high tide was still several hours away.

And farther south in a community called Sunset Beach, local fire rescue said it would no longer respond to calls for service due to the flooding.

Clearwater Beach reported its highest surge since at least the Superstorm of 1993, with a level of more than 7 feet.

Storm surge remained a dire threat during the system’s trek up the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Because of the storm’s massive size, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Helene brought a significant risk of life-threatening storm surge along the entire west coast of the Florida Peninsula and Florida’s Big Bend region.

The highest inundation, with as much as 20 feet of storm surge flooding, was expected from Carrabelle to the Suwannee River in Florida. Other locations like Apalachicola and Chassahowitzka were expected to see 10-15 feet of storm surge.

“A catastrophic and deadly storm surge is likely along portions of the Florida Big Bend coast, where inundation could reach as high as 20 feet above ground level, along with destructive waves,” the NHC warned.  The National Weather Service in Tallahassee called the expected storm surge into Apalachee Bay “catastrophic and potentially unsurvivable.”