Hurricane Helene will go down in history as a highly destructive deadly storm. Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane along Florida’s Big Bend coast on September 26 with winds exceeding 140 MPH.
The storm unleashed catastrophic storm surges of 6-15 feet across the coastline of Florida and even on the Carolina coastlines. The Tampa Bay area and Big Bend Florida area got hit the worst by the storm surge.
It produced catastrophic, widespread flash flooding on a scale greater than most storms in all of history. About 10 states were impacted with dams breached, rivers overflowing into cities, 1,000’s of roads covered in water making entire cities unreachable, and polluting the water system.
Over 5,500,000 people lost power due to the storm and over 3,000,000 are still without power due to Helene and that number will likely stay since many areas have no power grids anymore. Authorities say it may take months to restore power and water supply. Some cities are complaining about how they have no access to fresh water and food. (POLITICO)(Weather Underground).
After hitting Florida, Helene moved inland rapidly, bringing heavy rain and high winds across Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. In Atlanta, over 13 inches of rain fell in 48 hours, the heaviest rainfall on record for the city. Floodwaters in Tennessee also caused significant destruction, submerging hospitals and requiring air evacuations. Some areas in North Carolina received 30 inches of rainfall, a historic amount that led to dams breaching and catastrophic flooding.
Unfortunately, Hurricane Helene has also taken the lives of over 118 people now, and an estimated 1,200 people are still unaccounted for and missing. These numbers are still subject to rise as rescue efforts continue and damage surveys are conducted for the weeks to come. FEMA is also reporting that damage estimates across the storm’s rampage path range between $100 billion and $115 billion, potentially making this one of the most expensive storms in modern U.S. history.
Helene will be a retired name now for the National Hurricane Center, meaning they will never name a storm that name again. This is because of the deadly and destructive history that this storm will be known for in years to come.
It is storms like these that humble us to the destructive potential of weather and how serious these situations can be. Texas Weather Center sincerely expresses its hurt and sorrow for the families affected and hopes for a speedy recovery for all in Helene’s path.
Here are some organizations that accept donations to help those impacted by the storm
American Red Cross: Red Cross volunteers from Florida to Tennessee are helping communities by providing food, disaster supplies, shelter, and additional assistance. The organization is taking donations to fund relief efforts.
The Salvation Army: The organization has deployed teams to provide emergency aid, food, and long-term recovery services for survivors and rescue workers.
Samaritan’s Purse: This organization has also deployed teams to provide emergency aid, food, and restoration efforts throughout the area. They are in need of volunteers as well.
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