The destructive Hurricane Helene has wreaked havoc across several states in the southeastern USA after making landfall overnight in northwestern Florida, being declared a category 4 storm. This powerful storm has resulted in at least five fatalities, with widespread power outages and evacuations reported. Governors in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina have declared emergencies to manage the impact of the storm, which is said to be one of the largest hurricanes to hit the Gulf Coast. Videos on social media show multiple houses destroyed and over 3 million people left without power.
Although Hurricane Helene has since weakened to a tropical storm over Georgia, it continues to cause dangerous winds and rain across the region. Nearly 3.2 million people remain without power in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee. In the city of Valdosta, Georgia, residents weathered the storm in a darkened hotel lobby as winds howled outside, with many recalling previous storms that have hit the city in recent years.
Helene is the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season and is the third storm to strike Valdosta in just over a year, following tropical storm Debby and hurricane Idalia. Residents are showing resilience and preparedness in the face of these repeated natural disasters. As the cleanup and recovery efforts begin, authorities are working to provide aid and support to those affected by the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene.
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