Hurricane Helene leaves 3 dead after making landfall in Florida as historic Category 4 storm: Latest
Death toll continues to rise after Hurricane Helene slammed into Florida’s coast as one of largest storms ever to strike US
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At least three people have died as Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as one of the most powerful storms to strike the United States, bringing “catastrophic” and “unsurvivable” conditions.
Helene hit Florida’s Big Bend region just after 11pm ET as a Category 4 storm packing sustained winds of around 140 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.
Even before it made landfall, the storm had flooded the Gulf Coast and knocked out power for at least 1 million customers in the state. Apart from Florida, Alabama, and parts of the Carolinas are also at risk of flooding.
The first death was confirmed by Florida governor Ron DeSantis, after a sign fell on a driver’s car in Tampa. Two more deaths were reported in Wheeler County late on Thursday, Georgia after a trailer was swept up by a tornado.
Helene’s size is massive compared to previous hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm was forecast to be one of the largest storms in breadth to hit the region in years, with only three bigger since 1988.
Helene strengthens as it moves toward land
The National Hurricane Center has said Helene has become slightly stronger as its eye approaches the Florida coast’s Big Bend area.
Coastal waters are rising along the west coast of Florida as storm conditions spread northward, the agency at 9pm.
Over 1,000 people sheltering in place in Florida county
In Leon County, Florida, 1,652 individuals and 234 pets are sheltering in place at county facilities.
More than 600,000 people without power in Florida
That is according to poweroutage.us, an entity that tracks power outages across the country.
Water is seen splashing over Tampa’s Howard Frankland Bridge as a car whizzes across
More than 40 million under hurricane, tropical storm warnings
37,464,260 people are under tropical storm warnings and 2,852,691 people are under hurricane warnings, according to the National Weather Service.
Walt Disney World cancels experiences in response to Hurricane Helene
Florida’s Walt Disney World cancelled some experiences in response to Hurricane Helene.
Its Typhoon Lagoon water park was temporarily closed and Beachcomber Shack and Typhoon Lagoon Umbrella rentals were cancelled.
A Halloween-themed even, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, was cancelled. Guests would be refunded for that event.
Mini golf courses at Fantasia Garden and Fairways and Winter Summerland were also temporarily closed.
Photos show surfers take to the beach as Hurricane Helene bears down on Florida
Surfers took to the beach in Panama City ahead of Hurricane Helene on Thursday afternoon.
Hurricane becomes cat 4 storm
The National Hurricane center announced Helene had become a category 4 storm shortly after 6.20pm.
The agency described the storm as “extremely dangerous,” with maximum sustained winds increasing to 130 mph.
Florida sheriff says residents who won’t evacuate could die
In an interview with ABC News, Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett says residents who are refusing to evacuate low-lying areas by the coastline, about 200 people, could very well die.
“That’s a death threat because you’re looking at, they’re calling for 18- or 20-foot storm surge,” he told the outlet.
“We’ve never had a storm surge like this in this county. These old houses, some of them on this coast, have been there for years and years and years, and they’re just not going to stand up to it. The water — you can kind of hide from the wind — but you can’t hide from that water.”
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