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Live updates: Helene leaves flooding and damage in Florida, Georgia

Live updates: Helene leaves flooding and damage in Florida, Georgia

Vaseline 1 month ago

Today’s live coverage has ended. Catch up on what you missed below and find more at apnews.com.

Hurricane Helene left an enormous path of destruction across Florida and the southeastern U.S. on Friday, killing at least 40 people in four states

Here’s where things stand Friday:

  • Storm tracker: Helene has been downgraded to a tropical depression, according to the latest update from the National Hurricane Center. The storm is slowing down and is expected to stall over the Tennessee Valley through the weekend.
  • Power outages: Nearly 4 million homes and businesses were without power in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, according to poweroutage.us.
  • Fatalities: The storm has been blamed for at least 40 deaths, including at least 17 people in South Carolina. State officials say dozens are still trapped in homes damaged by Helene.

Vice President Harris urges residents affected by Helene to heed local officials

Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday urged residents impacted by Hurricane Helene to pay heed to local authorities as the storm continues to wreak havoc on a significant swath of the southeast.

“The storm continues to be dangerous and deadly, and lives have been lost and the risk of flooding still remains high,” Harris said at the start of a campaign speech in Douglas, Arizona. “So, I continue to urge everyone to please continue to follow guidance from your local officials until we get past this moment.”

1 dead in Virginia from a falling tree, governor says

In southwestern Virginia, one person died after a tree fell and a building collapsed in Craig County, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said.

The death toll from Hurricane Helene has reached at least 44 across five states: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.


Dam near North Carolina-Tennessee border not experiencing ‘catastrophic failure,’ officials say

By KIMBERLEE KRUESI


Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said Friday that a “catastrophic failure” was not taking place at Walters Dam, also known as the Waterville Dam, which sits in North Carolina close to the Tennessee border.

A local mayor had urged residents to evacuate due to the dam potentially breaking, but TEMA said in a statement that the “dam has not failed” after talking to Duke Energy, which owns the nearly 100-year-old dam.


Mother and her two infant twins are among those dead in Georgia

Among people who have died in Georgia are a 27-year-old mother and her two 1-month-old twins, who were killed when trees fell on their house in Thomson, just west of Augusta, said McDuffie County Coroner Paul Johnson.

The coroner said an 89-year-old woman was killed when trees fell on her house elsewhere in the same county.


EVs could catch fire if inundated with saltwater from Hurricane Helene, officials warn

Electric vehicles can catch fire if they are inundated by saltwater, so owners who live in the path of a major storm like Hurricane Helene should take precautions.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been researching this problem since it was first seen after Hurricane Sandy struck the Northeast in 2012. But no one seems to have detailed statistics on just how often this happens.

Two years ago, Hurricane Ian compromised the batteries of as may as 5,000 electric vehicles, and 36 of them caught fire. Several more electric vehicles caught fire in Florida last year after Hurricane Idalia.

It happens often enough that Florida officials were worried about the possibility before Hurricane Helene arrived because they were expecting a potentially devastating storm surge up to 20 feet deep in the northwestern part of Florida.

These fires do seem to be linked specifically to saltwater because salt can conduct electricity. Similar problems haven’t been reported after freshwater flooding in California that was driven by heavy rains early this year.

Read more about electric vehicles catching fire from flooding

Weather reporter interrupts live broadcast to help a woman stranded in her car

By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER


A weather TV reporter in Atlanta interrupted his live report about Hurricane Helene on Friday to rescue a woman from a vehicle stranded by rising floodwaters.

Standing in the rain with the submerged vehicle behind him, Fox reporter Bob Van Dillen described how the woman drove into a flooded area.

In the footage, he said he called 911 and she can be heard screaming as he tries to assure her that help was on the way.

Then, he told the camera, “It’s a situation. We’ll get back to you in a little bit. I’m going to see if I can help this lady out a little bit more you guys.”

Read more about the reporter’s water rescue

Death toll in South Carolina rises to 19

The death toll from Hurricane Helene in South Carolina is 19 people, with many of the deaths happening from falling trees as the storm moved through early Friday, authorities said.

In Saluda County, two firefighters were killed when a tree fell on their truck while they were answering a call, the Highway Patrol said.

Five people were killed in Spartanburg County, according to Coroner Rusty Clevenger who planned to release details about the deaths later.

In Greenville County, four people were killed by falling trees, Senior Deputy Coroner Shelton England said.

Four people were also killed in Aiken County by trees falling on homes, including a 78-year-old husband and his 74-year-old wife, Coroner Darryl Ables said.

Two people died in Anderson County when trees fell on their houses, the Coroner’s Office said.

And in Newberry County, a married couple died when their car slid on a wet highway and ran into a tree, Coroner Laura Kneece said.

Helene is the deadliest tropical storm in South Carolina since Hurricane Hugo killed 35 people when it came ashore just north of Charleston in 1989.

The deadliest recent hurricanes to hit the US

Recent major hurricanes that made landfall in the U.S. have left hundreds dead and caused billions of dollars in damages.

Since 2020, not including Helene, there have been seven major destructive hurricanes: Laura, Delta, Zeta, Ida, Ian, Idalia and Beryl.

Hurricane Beryl was the first of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Exceptionally warm ocean temperatures caused it to strengthen into a Category 5 storm rapidly in early July.

When hurricane Beryl hit Texas, it had dropped to a Category 1 storm. Beryl has been blamed for at least 36 deaths. The storm caused an estimated $28 billion to $32 billion in damages, according to AccuWeather’s preliminary estimates.

Read more about recent destructive hurricanes


Rainfall from Helene breaks Atlanta’s 48-hour record

Atlanta received 11.12 inches (28.24 centimeters) of rain in 48 hours, breaking the city’s all-time record since record keeping began in 1878, Georgia’s Office of the State Climatologist said on X.

The previous record of 9.59 inches (24.36 cm) in 48 hours was set in 1886.

Hurricane Helene leaves deeps scars where it made landfall

The windswept beauty of what residents claim is one of Florida’s longest stretches of undeveloped coastline was left deeply scarred after Hurricane Helene crashed ashore in rural Taylor County along the state’s Big Bend.

It’s a part of the state where salt marshes and pine flatwoods stretch unspoiled into the horizon, a region that has largely avoided the crush of condo developments, strip malls and souvenir shops that has carved up so much of Florida’s coastlines. It’s a place where Susan Sauls Hartway and her four-year-old Chihuahua mix Lucy could afford to live within walking distance of the beach on her salary as a housekeeper.

At least until her home was carried away by Helene.

“I knew it would be bad, but I had no idea it was going to be this bad,” she said. “This is unbelievable.”

Friday afternoon, Hartway and Lucy wandered around their street near Ezell Beach, searching for where the storm may have deposited her home.

“It’s gone. I don’t know where it’s at. I can’t find it,” she said.

Born and raised in Taylor County, Hartway said there is nowhere in the world she would rather be, even after Helene. But she’s watched as wealthier residents from out of state have bought up second homes here. She wonders how many of them will sell out — and what will happen to the locals who have nowhere else to go.

“There’s so many people down here, they don’t have any place to go now. This was all they had,” Hartway said. “Some people, they’ll just make do down here. Rough it.”

Insurers could pay $5B to cover losses from Helene

Insurance data provider A.M. Best on Friday estimated that insurers will pay $5 billion or more to cover losses from Hurricane Helene.

That’s not the total amount of loss, some of which is uninsured and some of which may be repaid with federal aid. Instead, it’s the amount that insurance companies are on the hook for.

A.M. Best said insurers paid $2.5 billion to $4 billion in losses for Hurricane Idalia last year, and it expects losses from Helene to be more severe given its broader wind field and a path that hit more urban areas inland.


Curfew issued in western North Carolina community hit hard by Helene

Officials in a western North Carolina town have issued a curfew due to safety risks from flooded streets and downed power lines from what remains of Hurricane Helene.

“It’s very dangerous out there,” Asheville Police Chief Mike Lamb said. “If you don’t have to be out, don’t go out.”

Lamb said the curfew would occur over a 12-hour period starting at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

No fatalities have been reported, although officials said any death count won’t be released until family notifications have been made.

Buncombe County Manager Avril Pinder said hundreds of residents were forced to seek safety at shelters.

The county’s 911 center received more than 3,300 calls over an eight-hour period Friday, and more than 130 swift-water rescues have been conducted, said county Emergency Services Assistant Director Ryan Cole. He said it took crews more than four hours to reach several homes that were hit by a mudslide.

“This is something that we’re going to be dealing with for many days and weeks to come,” Cole said. “So please be patient.”

Former Tropical Storm John dissipates over Mexico

By The Associated Press


Former Tropical Storm John has dissipated over Mexico, but its remnants will continue to produce rain over the Mexican states of Guerrero and Michoacán.

The storm made landfall twice in Mexico, first as a hurricane Monday and a second time as a tropical storm Friday.


Helene downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone

By The Associated Press


The U.S. National Hurricane Center has downgraded Helene from a tropical depression to a post-tropical cyclone.

Helene, a Category 4 hurricane when it made landfall in Florida late Thursday night, was 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of Louisville, Kentucky, at about 5 p.m. EDT. It was moving northwest at 17 mph (28 kph), according to the hurricane center.

The storm was expected to continue producing heavy rain in the area and cause severe flash-flooding as a result. Isolated tornadoes Friday evening were possible in Virginia and North Carolina, the hurricane center said.

Thousands ordered to evacuate after ‘catastrophic failure’ of a dam in eastern Tennessee

By JONATHAN MATTISE


In eastern Tennessee, a “catastrophic failure” of Waterville Dam spurred Cocke County Mayor Rob Mathis to hand down evacuation orders for all of downtown Newport, according to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. Newport is a city of about 7,000 people roughly 60 miles (97 kilometers) southwest of where dozens of people were being rescued from the roof of a hospital.


Over 1 million customers are still without power in South Carolina

More than 1 million customers remained without power in South Carolina several hours after the remnants of Hurricane Helene left the state and the sun started to come out.

Utility officials warned power could be out for many for a long time. Crews were still assessing the damage and in some cases needed to cut their way through debris just to determine what was left standing.

“You will be frustrated. Tomorrow it’s going to be 86 degrees and clear. You’re going to say ‘Why can’t I watch the football game? Why can’t my life be back to normal?’ Life’s not going to be back to normal until probably the middle of next week,” Dominion Energy South Carolina President Keller Kissam said Friday.

The 1.2 million South Carolina customers without power represent more than 40% of homes and businesses in the state.

Gov. Henry McMaster said the storm moved east of where it was forecast and gave the state a bigger blow than expected.

“We urge everybody to be patient and keep your neighbors in your prayers,” McMaster said.

4 people critically injured after a tornado touches down in North Carolina

Four people were critically injured and numerous others sustained minor injuries after a tornado touched down in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, officials said.

Three buildings received significant damage, including two restaurants and an auto service center, while a fourth building, a cafeteria, received minor roof damage, Nash County Communications Director Jonathan Edwards said Friday.

The damage appeared to be concentrated on Wesleyan Boulevard and Tiffany Boulevard. An 18-wheel tractor-trailer truck also flipped over in that area, but the driver was not hurt, Edwards said.

Death toll in Georgia rises to 15

At least 15 people have died in Georgia from causes related to Hurricane Helene, according to Garrison Douglas, a spokesperson for Gov. Brian Kemp.


‘The word that just keeps coming to my mind is just devastated’

Taylor County, Florida has had a rough couple of years.

Since August of 2023, the rural community along Florida’s Big Bend has taken direct hits from three hurricanes — and seen the closure of its local paper mill, which for decades had been one of the economic lifelines for a county where one in six residents lives below the poverty line.

“The word that just keeps coming to my mind is just devastated,” said Aaron Portwood, publisher of Perry Newspapers, which is based in the county seat of Perry. “You get hit with one thing. And you think, ‘This is bad’. And you recover from that. And then another one hits, and you’re like, ‘ok that stings’. But after about four or five, it starts to feel pretty overwhelming.”

Portwood’s house in Dekle Beach on the county’s long undeveloped coastline was gutted by Hurricane Helene, though the structure still stands. Beyond his own home, Portwood said he’s worried about the future of this county that is steadily having its tax base wiped off the map.


2 firefighters killed in South Carolina were struck by a tree

Two firefighters killed during Hurricane Helene in South Carolina were struck by a tree, authorities said.

The tree hit their firetruck around 6:30 a.m. Friday about 4 miles (6 kilometers) west of Batesburg-Leesville, South Carolina Highway Patrol Cpl. David Jones said.

The Saluda County Coroner’s Office has not released the names of the firefighters.

At least 17 people have been killed in South Carolina as Hurricane Helene tore through the western part of the state.

A mudslide and floodwaters wash out interstate at the North Carolina-Tennessee state line

A mudslide and record floodwaters from the remnants of Hurricane Helene washed out a section of an interstate highway at the North Carolina-Tennessee state line, transportation officials said.

Photos and video posted on social media showed at least one lane of I-40 had collapsed above the swollen Pigeon River.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation said the interstate was closed in both directions.

The National Weather Service said a flash flood warning continued for the Pigeon River, which crested Friday morning about 3 feet (1 meter) above its previous record level set by the remnants of Hurricane Ivan in September 2004.


Georgia Power to make an emergency water release from a dam near Lake Rabun

Georgia Power Co. is making an emergency release of water from a northeast Georgia dam following heavy rains from Hurricane Helene.

Georgia Emergency Management Director Chris Stallings said no residents who live near Lake Rabun in the state’s mountainous northeast corner were in danger of being flooded. But he said the water release would likely flood roads and bridges that some residents use to access their homes.

“If they don’t leave now, they’re going to be stuck there for at least a day or multiple hours,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp told reporters at a morning news briefing. The dam is the third in a series owned by Georgia Power along the Tallulah River, which cuts a deep gorge through part of the area.

“We’ve got to get water out so it doesn’t cause dam failure,” Stallings said. He was unable to say how long the water release would last, saying that would be up to technical experts.

Georgia Power didn’t immediately respond to phone calls, emails and texts seeking information.

Dozens rescued by helicopter from a flooded Tennessee hospital inundated by Helene

By Jonathan Matisse


Dozens of people were being rescued by helicopter from a flooded Tennessee hospital inundated by Helene.

Some 54 people were moved to the roof of the Unicoi County Hospital while water rapidly flooded the facility, according to Ballad Health.

The company said on social media that county officials had ordered an evacuation of the hospital Friday morning due to rising water in the Nolichucky River, including 11 patients.

Boats ordered up by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency were unable to safely evacuate the hospital, which was taking on flood water, the company said.

As of midday, Ballad reported that an additional seven people remained in rescue boats as the hospital was engulfed by “extremely dangerous and rapidly moving water.”

Tornado damages businesses in North Carolina

A tornado was confirmed Friday in northern Rocky Mount, North Carolina, along U.S. Route 301, city communications specialist Robin Cox said.

There was damage to businesses in the area, but the city did not yet confirm if there were any injuries. Cox said there were emergency workers on the scene as of 2:30 p.m.


DeSantis: ‘We are going to bounce back’

By MICHAEL SCHNEIDER


Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday that even communities hardest hit by Hurricane Helene would get back on their feet, though it won’t happen overnight.

The governor said it’s extremely difficult when someone loses a home with photos and family keepsakes that don’t have a dollar value. But he vowed, “We are going to bounce back.”

“It’s tough and we understand that. We also understand that this is a resilient state,” DeSantis said at a news conference in storm-damaged St. Pete Beach, not far from where he grew up in Dunedin, Florida.

“We’re going to get people back on their feet,” DeSantis said. “It’s not easy to go through this. It’s not going to be easy in the immediate future, but there’s going to be a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Tropical Storm John hits Mexico’s Pacific coast a 2nd time

By The Associated Press


Tropical Storm John made its second landfall along Mexico’s Pacific coast Friday, while in its wake authorities in the resort city of Acapulco called for help from anyone with a boat to deal with the flooding.

John came ashore near Tizupan in Michoacan state with sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kmh) after making its initial landfall farther east on the coast on Monday as a Category 3 hurricane.

It blew tin roofs off houses, triggered mudslides and toppled scores of trees. After weakening inland, it reemerged over the ocean, reforming as a tropical storm Wednesday and eventually regaining hurricane strength.

At least eight people have died as a result of the storm.


At least 17 people have died in South Carolina

At least 17 people have died after Hurricane Helene moved across South Carolina overnight Friday.

The dead included two firefighters responding to calls in Saluda County, Gov. Henry McMaster said at a Friday news conference.

Two additional deaths were reported in Newberry County, according to McMaster, who didn’t provide details.

Coroners reported 13 other deaths — four in Greenville County, four in Aiken County, three in Spartanburg County and two in Anderson County.

“We’re asking keep all of those families and friends in your prayers,” McMaster said.

The death toll from Hurricane Helene has reached at least 30 across 4 states

By The Associated Press


The death toll from Hurricane Helene has reached at least 30 across four states.

According to an Associated Press tally Friday, the deaths occurred in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.


‘Dangerous rescue situation’ unfolding at a northeast Tennessee hospital

By Jonathan Matisse


A “dangerous rescue situation” was unfolding in northeast Tennessee on Friday as 54 people were moved to the roof of the Unicoi County Hospital while water rapidly flooded the facility, according to Ballad Health.

The company said on social media that county officials ordered an evacuation of the hospital Friday morning due to rising water in the Nolichucky River, including 11 patients.

Boats ordered up by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency were unable to safely evacuate the hospital, which was taking on flood water, the company said.

As of midday, Ballad reported that 54 people were relocated to the roof and seven remained in rescue boats as the hospital was engulfed by “extremely dangerous and rapidly moving water.”

“The situation at the hospital is very dangerous and TEMA and National Guard resources are engaged in what can only be described as a dangerous rescue operation,” Ballad wrote, asking for prayers.

Death toll in South Carolina rises to 13

Four people were killed overnight by falling trees in Greenville County, bringing the death toll in Hurricane Helene to 13 in South Carolina.

Greenville County Senior Deputy Coroner Shelton England confirmed the deaths Friday afternoon. He said more information would be released later.

During the storm four people were killed in Aiken County, three people in Spartanburg County and two people in Anderson County, authorities said.


Some bridge lanes connecting Florida barrier island communities reopen

By MICHAEL SCHNEIDER


Some bridge lanes connecting barrier island communities on Florida’s Gulf Coast started reopening on Friday.

The northbound lanes of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge connecting the St. Petersburg area to the Bradenton area were opened Friday afternoon, though southbound lanes remained closed for cleaning up debris and assessing damage, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.

Southbound lanes of the Howard Frankland Bridge connecting the Tampa area with the St. Petersburg area also were opened to traffic, while northbound lanes were still being inspected and cleared of debris.

The Courtney Campbell Causeway connecting Hillsborough and Pinellas counties remained closed because of debris.

The bridge “took on heavy debris, washout, and roadway damage,” the agency said in a statement. “Bridge inspectors and maintenance clean-up crews are still on-site doing their best to clear the roadway and open it back up to motorists.”

Helene downgraded to a tropical depression

By The Associated Press


Tropical Storm Helene was downgraded to a tropical depression by forecasters on Friday afternoon.

The storm was located about 125 miles (201 km) southeast of Louisville, Kentucky, and was moving toward the north-northwest at about 28 mph (44 kph). The center said the storm was forecast to stall over the Tennessee Valley Friday night and through the weekend. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 35 mph (55 km/h) with higher gusts.

Forecasters said Helene was expected to become extratropical later in the day.

Image

A map shows the Friday afternoon rainfall outlook for Tropical Storm Helene (NOAA).


North Carolina dam overtopped is not expected to fail, officials say

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


People living on about 30 streets in a western North Carolina county were ordered Friday to evacuate as water from Tropical Storm Helene overtopped the entire length of a dam in a town best known for the 1980’s movie “Dirty Dancing.”

There is no indication, however, that the Lake Lure Dam is about to fail, state Department of Environmental Quality spokesperson Kat Russell said Friday.

Russell didn’t know how many people lived on the 29 streets within what she called the dam inundation area within Rutherford County, where Lake Lure and the town of the same name are located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Asheville.

The lake flows into the Broad River and was created nearly 100 years ago. The dam is listed as 480 feet (146 meters) long and about 120 feet (36.6 meters) high.

Russell said there is some erosion on one side of the dam caused by the overtopping. Town officials are monitoring it, she said.

Downstream communities have been made aware of the overtopping but have been told they would have several hours to alert residents to their own evacuations if needed, Russell said. The North Carolina and South Carolina state agencies also have received emergency action plans if conditions worsen.

Waters in the iconic lake used to film scenes for the movie “Dirty Dancing,” transforming Lake Lure into upstate New York’s Catskill Mountains.

Helene severely damaged Georgia’s utility infrastructure, electrical group says

An electrical utility group is warning of “catastrophic” damage to Georgia’s utility infrastructure by Hurricane Helene.

The Georgia Electric Membership Corp., which represents the state’s electric cooperatives, says that the hurricane damaged more than 100 high-voltage transmission lines and that more than 60 substations were out of service Friday morning.

Image

A down tree and power lines seen along Margret Mitchell Drive in the Buckhead area, Friday, Sept 27, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Without transmission lines and substations, the cooperatives can’t feed electricity to homes and businesses. The group warned Friday that “there will be extensive delays in total restoration” and told customers, especially those who rely on electric power for medical needs, to make temporary arrangements.

Of the more than 1 million Georgia electricity customers without power on Friday afternoon, more than 400,000 were customers of cooperatives. Restoration for customers of those utilities in rural areas can take much longer because customers are far apart.

Death toll in South Carolina rises to 9

At least nine people have died in South Carolina from the winds and rains of Hurricane Helene, authorities said.

Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger reported three deaths happened Friday morning. He did not release additional details.

Four deaths have already been reported in Aiken County and two deaths in Anderson County.


Rain from Helene has helped reduce autumn forest fire risks in West Virginia, governor says

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice was thankful Friday that several days of rain, including Friday’s arrival of the remnants from Hurricane Helene, helped reduce the risk of autumn forest fires during an exceptional drought in much of the state.

“I’m tickled to death that we finally have gotten this amount of rainfall,” Justice said during his weekly news briefing. “This will surely, surely assist us in many, many ways in regard to this terrible potential that we had for forest fires.”

Hurricane Ian remembrance event canceled in Fort Meyers Beach

The town of Fort Myers Beach has canceled its Hurricane Ian Remembrance and Resiliency Ceremony due to cleanup efforts from Hurricane Helene.

In a post on the social platform X, the town said it had to cancel the ceremony and did not say if it would be rescheduled. The town planned the ceremony for Saturday morning to mark when Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida.


A residential street near the Chattahoochee River is completely flooded

A residential street near the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta and the parking lot of a shopping center across the street is completely flooded. Flooding in the area is expected to get worse.

John Swalm, 17, lives part-time with his dad whose house is on the flooded street. His dad is not in the state and his house is on stilts, but Swalm anticipates “devastating” damage to the house’s yard and wooden patio.

He also believes his dad’s cars are submerged and his kayaks have floated away.

Rainfall in parts of the Carolinas and Tennessee reached at least half a foot

By HANNAH FINGERHUT


Preliminary data shows rainfall in parts of northwest South Carolina, southwest North Carolina and southeast Tennessee reached at least half a foot between Tuesday and Friday, according to the National Weather Service office for Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Some parts of the region saw more than a foot of rain.


Widespread airport delays and cancellations persist

Even as Helene’s wind and rain move northward, air travel snarls remain at many airports in the southeast.

The airport in Charlotte, North Carolina, a major hub for American Airlines, saw nearly 400 inbound and outbound flights canceled through 1 p.m. Thursday, with another 500 inbound and outbound flights delayed, according to flight tracking software FlightAware. That’s nearly half of all flights to the airport.

The larger Atlanta Airport saw nearly 200 inbound and outbound flights canceled, while more than 400 were delayed. That’s nearly a quarter of all the flights at that airport.

Problems also lingered at airports in Florida including in Tampa, Tallahassee and Jacksonville, while smaller airports in Asheville, North Carolina and Augusta, Georgia saw a majority of flights canceled.

Water rescues underway in Morristown, Tennessee

By Jonathan Matisse


The National Weather Service in Morristown, Tennessee, said late Friday morning that several water rescues and evacuations were happening near the mountains in the northeastern part of the state, with thousands of trees down in the area.

Local officials had ordered people in locations such as Embreeville and Roan Mountain to evacuate.


WATCH: Florida resident gives tour of devastated, flattened Cedar Key

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


A Florida resident provided a devastating first-hand look at hard-hit Cedar Key Friday morning after parts of the town were flattened by Hurricane Helene.


5 people have died in Pinellas County after disregarding evacuation warnings

Five people have died in Pinellas County in Florida after Helene blew through the area overnight, county officials said Friday.

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said the deaths all occurred in neighborhoods where residents were told by authorities to evacuate, but many chose to stay and then found themselves trapped by 8 feet of storm surge — an unprecedented event in the county.

Image

Debris cover the street in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene at Harbor Lights Club mobile home park in Pinellas County, Fla., Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Tampa Bay Times via AP)

Gualtieri said survivors told them they didn’t believe the warnings after other residents told them the surge wouldn’t be that bad. He said people wound up hiding in their attics to get away from the water.

“We made our case, we told people what they needed to do and they chose otherwise,” Gualtieri said. He added that his deputies tried overnight to reach those who had been trapped, but it just wasn’t safe.

“I was out there personally. We tried to launch boats, we tried to use high-water vehicles and we just met with too many obstacles,” Gualtieri said. He said the death toll could rise as emergency crews go door-to-door in the flooded areas to see if anyone remains.

At least 6 people have died in South Carolina

At least six people died in South Carolina as Hurricane Helene tore through the western part of the state early Friday.

Four people died overnight in Aiken County, said Coroner Darryl Ables who planned to release more details later.

In Anderson County, the coroner’s office said two people were killed when trees fell on houses.

The storm brought wind gusts to near hurricane force across much of the state west of Columbia. At the storm’s peak, power was out for 45% of the 2.9 million homes and businesses in the state.

Nearly everyone was without power right after the storm passed through in several counties, including Greenville and Spartanburg where more than 900,000 people live.

Utilities companies urged patience, saying it could take at least days to restore power.

Multiple people are trapped in 115 heavily damaged buildings in Valdosta

By HANNAH FINGERHUT


Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp gave staggering numbers to describe the early damage from Helene Friday morning:

  • 1 million meters without power
  • 1,300 traffic signals out of commission
  • 1,100 people in shelters across the state
  • 152 road closures and 2 interstate closures

In one south central city, Valdosta, 115 buildings were heavily damaged with multiple people trapped inside. One shelter temporarily housing Georgians lost its roof. A tree fell on one hospital’s generator, cutting the facility’s power.


App State cancels football game against Liberty in North Carolina due to Helene

By The Associated Press


Appalachian State’s home football game against Liberty in Boone, North Carolina, scheduled for Saturday has been canceled due to severe weather in the area from Tropical Storm Helene, the school announced Friday.

Heavy rains in the North Carolina mountains brought flooding to Boone and the town was placed under a state of emergency Thursday.

The nonconference game was scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. EDT kickoff and will not be rescheduled, the school said.

App State also canceled a home field hockey game against Bellarmine that was slated for Friday.


Tropical Storm John is causing severe flooding along Mexico’s Pacific coast

By The Associated Press


Tropical Storm John has caused a total of eight deaths in southern Mexico, and five days of heavy rains have generated severe flooding and mudslides in the Pacific coast resort of Acapulco.

John, in its second incarnation, was lingering off the Pacific coast just short of a second landfall early Friday. It hit further east on the coast Monday as a Category 3 hurricane.

The flooding is so bad in Acapulco — which still hasn’t recovered from Hurricane Otis last October — that the head of the municipal civil defense agency said authorities were starting to use boats inside the city to rescue people from low-lying neighborhoods. Residents posted videos and photos of cars floating away in floodwaters, and people rescued from raging waters using lifelines.

“We are getting boats to start carrying out more effective evacuations,” Efrén Valdez, civil protection coordinator for Acapulco, told the Milenio Television station. “The situation is very complicated.”

Several Ballad Health facilities closed across multiple states

By JONATHAN MATTISE


In northeast Tennessee, Unicoi County Hospital was closed Friday due to the weather and its 11 patients were being moved to other hospitals, according to parent company Ballad Health. The company urged people who need care to go to the nearest hospital or call 911.

Meanwhile, every Ballad Health facility postponed all elective surgeries, including those in southwest Virginia, northwest North Carolina and southeast Kentucky. Some of its clinics and urgent care offices were also closed.

Atlanta firefighters rescue a half-dozen people in Hanover West


Atlanta Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Ronald Slatton said rescue efforts Friday morning helped about half a dozen people who didn’t feel safe in their homes in Hanover West, a neighborhood in north Atlanta. A creek behind some of the residences had risen to about four or five feet, he said.

“We’re just here standing by if they need us,” he said of his expectations for the rest of the day.


Shattered storefronts and mangled awnings dot downtown Valdosta

In downtown Valdosta, Georgia, Hurricane Helene ripped the sheet metal roof from a large brick building that houses a furniture and antiques store and blew out the back wall. Bricks, plywood and twisted metal covered the grass outside, exposing old lamps, cabinets and other knickknacks in the store’s inventory.

Many shops and businesses along the tree limb-covered sidewalks of the downtown area appeared unscathed. But a few had shattered storefront windows and mangled awnings.

Electricity was out across the city and traffic moved slowly on many roads, with stoplights blacked out and trees blocking several streets.