Hurricane Helene brings life-threatening storm surges to US

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Hurricane Helene brought life-threatening storm surges, high winds and torrential rain to the south-east US as it moved into Georgia on Friday after making landfall in Florida and battering the state with winds of up to 140mph.

The tropical storm had been upgraded to the second-strongest ranking of category four as it bore down on Florida’s Gulf coast, threatening widespread disruption to the state.

After making landfall in Florida’s north-west Big Bend region just after 11pm on Thursday, it passed through the Panhandle region and into Georgia at about 1am on Friday, according to the US National Hurricane Center.

“This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation,” the centre advised. “Persons should not leave their shelters and remain in place through the passage of these life-threatening conditions.”

Videos posted on social media showed extensive damage in Florida, with high waves hitting the coast and homes and streets flooded.

The hurricane centre noted on Friday that Helene was “weakening as it moves quickly north-northeastward” through Georgia, while also cautioning that the threat from storm surges, high winds and heavy rains remained critical.

It had earlier sounded the alarm about a “deadly” storm surge along the Florida coast, with destructive waves as high as 20ft above ground level.

The centre said damaging winds would penetrate into the Carolina, and warned residents to prepare for power outages.

The US National Weather Service told residents to expect “catastrophic and life-threatening flash and urban flooding, including numerous significant landslides” across parts of the southern Appalachian mountains on Friday.

“Considerable locally catastrophic flash and urban flooding is likely for northwestern and northern Florida and the south-east through Friday,” it said. “Widespread significant river flooding and isolated major river flooding are likely.”

US President Joe Biden said he was tracking the hurricane and in touch with state and local officials. “I urge everyone in and near the path of Helene to listen to local officials and follow evacuation warnings,” he said. “Take this seriously, and be safe.”

Florida governor Ron DeSantis warned that the “hazardous” hurricane posed a threat to residents living along the coast, including the heavily populated Tampa Bay area.

He also said there had been reports of at least one fatality. “You need to be, right now, just hunkering down,” he said at a hurricane update on Thursday evening.

Insurers have estimated that Hurricane Helene will lead to billions of dollars of claims for damages.