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Florida residents pick up pieces after Hurricane Helene destroys homes

Florida residents pick up pieces after Hurricane Helene destroys homes

The remnants of Helene continued its onslaught across the Southeast on Friday, with nearly 4 dozen people dead across multiple states and several others trapped in rubble after the storm made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region late Thursday night as a monster Category 4 hurricane with winds of 140 mph. At least 45 deaths have been reported so far, including 15 in Georgia, eight in Florida, two in North Carolina,19 in South Carolina and one in Virginia.

Hurricane Helene intensifies ahead of Florida landfall, packing major storm surge

Hurricane Helene intensifies ahead of Florida landfall, packing major storm surge

Helene is centered 255 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida, and is tracking north-northeast at 14 mph. Maximum sustained winds are 105 mph, making Helene a Category 2. Bands of heavy rain associated with the hurricane and another weather system continue to pummel parts of Florida and the Southeast U.S., prompting occasional flash flood and tornado warnings.