Hurricane Helene tears apart Florida’s Big Bend region

Hurricane Helene tore through Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas, leaving behind a trail of devastation after the Category 4 hurricane made landfall Thursday night in the rural Big Bend in Florida, the Associated Press reported.

After the hurricane made landfall and generated a record-breaking storm surge, emergency crews rushed Friday to rescue those trapped in flooded homes. The storm has claimed the lives of at least 21 people so far across the four states.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told AP News that the damage from the hurricane seems worse than the combined damage of Hurricanes Idalia from last year and Debby from August: “It’s demoralizing,” he said. Meanwhile, county officials have launched boats to save stranded people and sent out warnings that the flooded water could contain live wires, sewage, sharp objects, and other debris.

President Joe Biden has shared his prayers for survivors and confirmed that the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency is scheduled to arrive in Florida. The agency sent out a total of 1,500 workers who have helped with 400 rescues Friday morning.

When the storm first arrived in the Big Bend in Florida it sustained maximum winds of 140 mph, but soon its damages extended hundreds of miles to the north, flooding North Carolina and taking out power both in southern Georgia and parts of Florida.

Over 4 million homes and businesses in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina were left without power Friday morning according to poweroutage.us, which tracks utility reports.

Videos of the storm, including a home on fire, have surfaced from South Pasadena, Florida amidst surging floods. Although the city claims crews are trying to respond to all emergencies the ferocity of the weather conditions is hindering their efforts, CBS News reported.

Helene’s landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast comes only a year after the same areas were hit by Hurricane Idalia, the New York Times reported.