Helene Devastates Florida and Georgia: Massive Power Outages and Rising Death Toll

Helene barreled through Florida and Georgia causing extensive damage, including at least four deaths and over 3 million power outages. The storm weakened to a tropical storm but continued to deliver life-threatening winds and flooding. Authorities performed numerous water rescues while assessing the rapidly unfolding damage.

Helene roared through Florida and Georgia under darkness on Friday as one of the most powerful storms to hit the U.S., killing at least four people, swamping neighborhoods, and leaving more than 3 million homes and businesses without power.

The Category 4 storm hit Florida's Big Bend region at 11:10 PM ET, leaving a chaotic landscape of overturned boats in harbors, felled trees, stranded cars, and flooded streets. In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis confirmed the death of a driver whose car was struck by debris and warned that the death toll was likely to rise.

More than four million homes and businesses in Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, and other U.S. Southeast states were without power. Police and firefighters carried out hundreds of water rescues, and the still-powerful storm continued to pack sustained maximum winds as it moved northward, prompting flash flood warnings in several counties.

(With inputs from agencies.)