At least 17 people died as Hurricane Helen hit the United States, millions of homes without electricity

17 people lost their lives in the United States after the passage of the Hurricane Helene this Friday, September 27th and the toll seems to be only provisional.

At least 17 people have died and millions of Americans are without power after Hurricane Helene continues to cause massive flooding in the southeastern United States on Friday, September 27, where it continues to track as a tropical storm.

From Tallahassee, Florida to Charlotte, North Carolina, strong winds and torrential rains are causing flash floods and downed trees. On the Florida coast, sea surge has caused major flooding, with sea levels rising more than 15 feet in some places.

“We've made close to 600 rescues,”, Deanne Criswell, head of the federal agency responsible for responding to natural disasters, told CNN. “The threat is not over,” and the situation “is still dangerous”, she added, stressing the risk of flash flooding, particularly in the major city of Atlanta, Georgia.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) has warned that “historic” and “catastrophic” flooding, accompanied by landslides, would continue in the Appalachian Mountains until Friday evening.

Helen made landfall in northwest Florida Thursday night as a Category 4 hurricane on a scale of 5, with winds of 140 mph. It was the most powerful hurricane ever to hit the region, according to hurricane expert Michael Lowry. “It was really scary at one point.” I was wondering, is my house going to blow away or not ?", Larry Bailey Jr. told AFP in the small town of Perry, Florida.

"We went into my sister's room and said a prayer," said the 32-year-old, who had holed up with her and two nephews. “We are relieved and pray that another one (hurricane, editor's note) does not come, because there is still about a month left in the season.”

Heavy toll

In Treasure Island, near Tampa, Florida, recreational boats have washed up in backyards. Five deaths have been confirmed in the area, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. "This storm has been deadly. Eleven deaths have been confirmed,", Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said Friday afternoon. One of those people was part of a rescue team, he said.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, a person died after a tree fell on his home, city fire officials said. Authorities in Taylor County, Florida, had asked reluctant residents to write their names on their bodies with permanent markers to help identify them if they were killed.

According to the website poweroutage.us, as of 17:00 GMT, about 1.3 million customers were without power in South Carolina, one million in Georgia, 900,000 in Florida and another 900,000 in North Carolina.

Hot sea for fuel

By warming ocean waters, climate change makes it more likely that these storms will intensify rapidly and increases the risk of more powerful hurricanes. After forming, Helene moved over particularly warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico, more than 30 & … she explained. US President Joe Biden has been briefed on the situation and has approved state of emergency declarations in the states of Florida, Georgia, South and North Carolina, and Alabama. He urged residents to follow safety instructions from local authorities.