Hurricane Helene batters southeast coast as deaths confirmed in Florida and Georgia

A tornado killed two people in Georgia as Hurricane Helene churned into the state after causing one death in Florida before weakening to a tropical storm.

Alamo, Georgia - A tornado killed two people in Georgia, the state's governor said Friday, as Hurricane Helene churned into the state after causing one death in Florida when it barreled ashore in the southeastern US.

Hurricane Helene hit Georgia, where at least two people were killed in a tornado, before weakening into a tropical storm.
Hurricane Helene hit Georgia, where at least two people were killed in a tornado, before weakening into a tropical storm.  © JOE RAEDLE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

Tornado warnings had gone out across northern Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas before the powerful hurricane made landfall late Thursday.

The US National Hurricane Center warned of "catastrophic winds" and life-threatening storm surge and heavy rains from the hurricane, even as it weakened as it moved inland.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said two people died in the city of Alamo, urging "all Georgians to brace for further impact from Helene, remain vigilant, and pray for all those affected" in a post on X.

Florida prepares for landfall of rapidly-intensifying Hurricane Helene
Environment and Climate Florida prepares for landfall of rapidly-intensifying Hurricane Helene

Local media had reported a man and a woman died when a trailer was picked up by a tornado, citing Wheeler County Emergency Management Agency Director Steve Adams.

"The trailer was taken across the highway by the tornado, hitting two vehicles, before landing in a field," WTOC-TV news reported.

Helene weakens to tropical storm with severe warnings still in place

Helene battered Florida, where Governor Ron DeSantis confirmed the death of one person and warned of catastrophic flooding.
Helene battered Florida, where Governor Ron DeSantis confirmed the death of one person and warned of catastrophic flooding.  © REUTERS

Earlier in the day, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said one person had been killed while driving in coastal Tampa city.

"We have had a report of a fatality on the roadway. A car driving on I-40... in Tampa was hit when a sign fell onto the highway," DeSantis said in a briefing on Hurricane Helene.

"It just shows you that it's very dangerous conditions out there," he added. "You need to be right now just hunkering down. Now is not the time to be going out."

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More than 55 million Americans were under some form of weather alert or warning from Hurricane Helene, which officially weakened to a tropical storm early on Friday.

The National Weather Service said the region in the storm's path could be hit extremely hard, with floods not seen in more than a century.

Scientists have been warning for decades that global warming increases the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events.

Cover photo: JOE RAEDLE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

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