More Than 230 Lives Lost, Nearly 4 Million Lose Power From Helene

Among all the alerts, watches, warnings, and orders issued by authorities, this one was perhaps the most ominous as Hurricane Helene approached the Florida coast.

Residents of the low-lying towns of Steinhatchee and Perry, Florida who refused to evacuate were asked to write their name and date of birth on their leg in permanent marker. So their bodies could be identified later. And family members notified.

The message was clear. This would be an “unsurvivable” event. And unfortunately, for far too many people, that’s what this massive storm was.

As of this writing, more than 230 lives have been lost. That total is likely to rise. Many others were injured. Hundreds of homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed. And nearly 4 million lost power. 

Cat 4 Storm Had Winds of 140 mph 

Helene made landfall late Thursday night in the Big Bend area of Florida as a Category 4 hurricane. With sustained wind speeds of 140 mph.

As storm surge reached 20 feet in some areas, states of emergency were declared in Florida and five other states. Sixty million people were under watches and warnings. Evacuation orders were issued in Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia. 

Well before Helene made landfall, Accuweather lead hurricane expert Alex DaSilva said this. “Impacts will be felt hundreds of miles away from the center of circulation.”

He was right. The enormous path of destruction from this storm stretched all the way north to Ohio. After slamming states in the Southeast, Helene continued north. Then it veered west to smack Tennessee, Kentucky, and southern Illinois. 

Strong Winds, Then Severe Flooding 

Helene was the second major hurricane of the 2024 season. And the third to strike the Big Bend area in the past 13 months. It was one of the largest storms in the Gulf of Mexico in the last century.

Helene closed roads, businesses, and schools. And canceled hundreds of flights. Meteorologists at the National Weather Service called it, “One of the most significant weather events to happen in the modern era.”

Winds snapped towering oak trees like twigs. And after winds finally died down, flooding quickly became the biggest problem. Especially in North Carolina. Where already saturated land was unable to absorb more water. 

Only car rooftops could be seen in many neighborhoods. Boats and helicopters were needed for some evacuations. More than 50 people were rescued from the roof of a flooded hospital in Erwin, Tennessee. One hundred water rescues occurred in Citrus County, Florida.

Record Rainfall in Atlanta

Pinellas Co. (Florida) Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said, “The areas of Gulf Boulevard have never ever looked like this before. I would just describe it... as a war zone. It is impassable.”

Hospitals lost power in Georgia. The Georgia Electric Membership Corporation said more than 100 high-voltage transmission lines were damaged.

Atlanta received a record-11.12 inches of rain in 48 hours. Twenty-five people were rescued from flooding and swift water emergencies there. In South Carolina, service calls included gas leaks and structure fires.

A mudslide in the Appalachian Mountains washed out a section of an interstate at the North Carolina/Tennessee border. St. Petersburg, Florida residents were told not to flush their toilets. 

Western North Carolina ‘Closed’

In the North Carolina mountains, nearly 30 inches of rain fell. Flooding is still so catastrophic in the western part of the state that officials have declared it “closed.”

The Washington Post called it “biblical devastation.”  As of last weekend, buildings, cars, and entire neighborhoods were still underwater in Asheville. Those whose homes were not washed away are still without power. 

The Asheville mayor was quoted as saying, “The power lines look like spaghetti.” Supplies were airlifted and hundreds were rescued.  

Nearly 400 roads have been closed in western North Carolina. Seventeen water plants in the area had no power. That made clean drinking water virtually impossible to find.  

Firefighters Among the Deceased

Officials said power outages could last for weeks or longer. Some areas will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.

In addition to high winds, massive amounts of rainfall, and flooding, tornadoes hit some areas. Including in Nash County, North Carolina. Where four people were critically injured.

Among the many deaths were several firefighters. As well as a woman and her 1-month-old twins. And an 89-year-old woman whose house was struck by a falling tree. 

A woman in Hudson, Florida said water rose to knee level in her home. She said she started thinking, “If this water rises above the level of the stove, we are not going to have much room to breathe.” 

Warm Waters Fuel Helene’s Intensity 

Helene was the fourth hurricane to make landfall on the Gulf Coast this year. That has occurred only five other times in recorded history.

Why was Helene so large and devastating? Weather experts say the main reason is warm Gulf water. It fueled the storm’s intensity. The ocean heat content in the Gulf is the highest it’s ever been since record keeping started.

Warm waters are also allowing hurricanes to intensify more quickly than previously. In 1985, it took an average of 52 hours for a hurricane to strengthen from Cat 1 to 4.

That timeframe dropped to 42 in 2015. Helene went from a Category 1 storm to Category 4 in only 31 hours.

Hurricanes Aren’t Local Events; Be Prepared

Hurricane Helene is yet another example of how an extreme weather event occurring in one state can negatively impact so many people in others.

Residents of states such as Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and Ohio shouldn’t have to worry about hurricanes.

But Helene last week, Sandy in 2012, and other storms have proven that’s no longer the case. And we still have two more months of hurricane season.

We all have to be on our guard for extreme weather. And that means being prepared. Because help may arrive too late. Or not at all.    

In response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, 4Patriots is making a donation to Team Rubicon to help in their relief efforts. If you would like to contribute, please visit their website.

Team Rubicon is a veteran-led humanitarian organization serving global communities before, during, and after disasters and crises. In only 12 years, Team Rubicon has created a network of 150,000+ volunteers called Greyshirts and launched more than 1,100 operations in response to disasters and humanitarian crises. 

Hurricane season last until November 30th. Are you prepared? Learn more about protecting your home & family during deadly hurricanes here.

Last Update: 10/07/2024