Helene’s death toll surpasses 40 as the storm wreaks havoc in the South

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Gray News) – Dozens of storm-related deaths have been reported as Helene works its way through the South after making landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm Thursday night.

The hurricane center said Helene roared ashore around 11:10 p.m. Thursday near the mouth of the Aucilla River in the Big Bend area of Florida’s Gulf Coast.

It had maximum sustained winds estimated at 140 mph.

According to the Associated Press, at least 44 deaths have been reported throughout five states impacted by Helene: Florida, Georgia, Virginia and the Carolinas.

There have been at least eight reported deaths in Florida, according to CNN.

WCTV reported Gov. Ron DeSantis reported the death of one Floridian in a press conference just after 11 p.m. Thursday.

DeSantis said the person died in Tampa when a sign crashed on their car on the highway.

“When Floridians wake up tomorrow morning, we’re going to be waking up to a state where very likely there’s been additional loss of life and certainly there’s going to be loss of property,” DeSantis said at the news conference.

Another Florida death was reported Friday morning in Old Town. The Dixie County Emergency Management reported one adult was killed when a tree fell on a home during the storm.

CNN said five deaths were reported in Pinellas County with at least two of the deaths reported as drownings.

All the deaths occurred in neighborhoods that were told to evacuate, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri told the Associated Press.

A woman in her 70s was also found dead in her water-logged home in Tampa, according to CNN.

At least 15 of the reported deaths have been in Georgia, according to Garrison Douglas, a spokesperson for Gov. Brian Kemp.

During a press conference Friday morning, Kemp reported a first responder was among those killed but did not give further details.

Two people were reported killed in a possible tornado in south Georgia as the storm approached. Wheeler County Sheriff Randy Rigdon told WMAZ-TV the possible tornado hit a mobile home Thursday night.

WRDW reported the impact of Helene is responsible for the deaths of two children in Washington County, Georgia. According to the county sheriff, Joel Cochran, a tree fell on a burning house, trapping the 7-year-old boy and 4-year-old girl inside.

More storm-related deaths were reported in Georgia by officials in Liberty County, Jeff Davis County, Richmond County and in Columbia County, according to WTOC and WRDW.

One person was killed in Colquitt County, Georgia after they reportedly drove into an oak tree that had fallen in the middle of the road. WALB said the county coroner is working to identify the man.

One person was killed when a tree fell on a home in North Carolina as impacts of Helene ramped up in the area. According to WBTV, it happened at about 5 a.m. Friday. Another person in the home was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Firefighters said there were children in the home but they were not injured.

Heavy rains were to blame for a crash that resulted in the death of a 4-year-old child in Claremont, North Carolina, WBTV reported. Two other children were hospitalized.

Officials in South Carolina reported at least 17 storm-related deaths, according to the Associated Press.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster reported two firefighters were killed in Saluda County. They were killed when a tree reportedly struck their firetruck Friday morning, South Carolina Highway Patrol Cpl. David Jones told the Associated Press.

McMaster also mentioned two other deaths in Newberry County but did not provide further details.

According to WHNS, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office reported two deaths were caused by trees falling onto homes. WRDW said officials reported at least four deaths in Aiken County.

Coroners reported four deaths in Greenville County and three others in Spartanburg County, according to the Associated Press.

Helene weakened to a tropical storm over Georgia with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph early Friday, the National Hurricane Center said.

Helene is the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year because of record-warm ocean temperatures.

Copyright 2024 Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.