Hurricane Helene, a formidable Category 4 storm, hit the northwest coast of Florida on Thursday, sparking concerns of extensive flooding along the Gulf Coast. The Miami-based National Hurricane Centre confirmed that Helene made its fierce landfall near the mouth of the Aucilla River in the Big Bend area of Florida’s Gulf Coast around 11:10 pm local time, exerting maximum sustained wind forces of approximately 225km/h (140m/h).
Authorities illustrated potential storm surges of six metres (20ft) to be particularly destructive and life-threatening, especially in Florida’s Apalachee Bay.
Widespread hurricane alerts and flash flood warnings stretched from the coast into northern Georgia and western North Carolina. In Florida, the hurricane’s potent winds have already interrupted power supply to almost 900,000 homes and businesses, as reported by poweroutage.us. State emergencies were declared by the governors of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, the Carolinas, and Virginia in anticipation of the storm.
The approaching storm was also linked to the report of two deaths caused by a potential tornado in southern Georgia. The National Weather Service based in Tallahassee declared an ‘extreme wind warning’ for the Big Bend, likening it to a tornado alert and urging residents to secure shelter.
The storm’s impacts extended beyond Florida. In the mountains of North Carolina, up to 10in (25cm) of rain had already been recorded, with up to 14in more anticipated prior to the rainfall cessation. This appeared set to lay the foundation for floods that experts warn could exceed any experienced in the past century.
In Valdosta, Georgia, located near the Florida border, local residents were dealing with increasing wind and rain. The weather service predicted that more than a dozen Georgia counties could witness hurricane-strength winds. In southern Georgia, another two individuals tragically lost their lives when a potential tornado hit a mobile home on Thursday night.
Educational institutions including school districts and universities suspended classes. Airports in Tampa, Tallahassee and Clearwater ceased operations on Thursday, while widespread flight cancellations occurred throughout and beyond Florida.
Although predictions suggest that Helene might weaken as it travels inland, damaging winds and heavy rain are expected to pervade as far as the southern Appalachian Mountains, where landslides could occur. The hurricane centre signalled that prolonged power outages and flooding may plague much of this region. Tennessee was highlighted among the states likely to be significantly affected.
Helene, on its course this Wednesday, wreaked havoc across parts of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, leading to inundated roads and fallen trees, particularly encroaching on the holiday hotspot of Cancún. Simultaneously, as Helene traversed near western Cuba, it instigated widespread power outages impacting upwards of 200,000 commercial and residential buildings across the island. – AP