At Least 22 Dead as Helene Rips Through Southeast

Helene swept across the Florida panhandle, Georgia and the Carolinas as one of the Southeast’s most powerful storms, knocking out power to millions and leaving at least 22 people dead.

After making landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region late Thursday as a Category 4 hurricane, Helene downed power lines, uprooted trees and washed away houses with flash floods. Rain poured down on the Appalachians, threatening landslides, and drenched Atlanta, which saw record rainfall. 

Helene weakened to a tropical depression and as of 2 p.m. Friday was about 125 miles south of Louisville, Ky. The National Hurricane Center said Helene was forecast to stall over the Tennessee Valley Friday night.