Joe.My.God. LGBT News
Tampa’s Fox affiliate reports:
Flooding caused by record-breaking storm surge from Hurricane Helene has prompted hundreds of water rescues in coastal portions of the Tampa Bay area.
Helene brought significant impacts to the region before making landfall late Thursday night as a Category 4 storm, bringing catastrophic storm surge and life-threatening winds to Florida’s Big Bend area.
Maximum sustained winds were 140 miles an hour when the eye of the storm made landfall around 11:15 p.m. just east of the mouth of the Aucilla River, which is about 10 miles west-southwest of Perry, Florida.
USA Today reports:
Early Friday, the storm was racing north over Macon, Georgia, into southeast Atlanta at about 30 mph. As of 7 a.m. ET Friday more than 3.1 million outages had been reported across the state, USA TODAY’s power outage tracker showed.
“As Helene continues moving inland, damaging wind gusts will continue, particularly over high terrain southern Appalachians,” the National Hurricane Center reported. Photos and social media footage showed boats overcome with water, downed utility poles, and dramatic rescues.
The Associated Press reports:
At least six people have died as Hurricane Helene slams the South. In Charlotte, North Carolina, one person was killed and another was injured when a tree fell on a house, according to the Mecklenburg EMS Agency.
Four people were killed during Hurricane Helene’s passage into Georgia overnight. In south Georgia, two people were killed when a possible tornado struck a mobile home on Thursday night, Wheeler County Sheriff Randy Rigdon told WMAZ-TV.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a press conference late Thursday that one person was killed on the I-4 highway near Tampa when a sign fell on a car.
Atlanta’s Fox affiliate reports:
A Flash Flood Emergency has been issued for Midtown Atlanta, College Park, Hartsfield-Jackson, Forest Park, Riverdale, and Jonesboro. This is the highest level of warning that can be issued for floods.
Officials say life-threatening flash flooding is occurring in low-water crossings, creeks and streams, and urban areas including highways, underpasses, and streets. Residents should try to avoid driving as much as possible and stay away from areas of standing water.
From the city of Asheville:
Due to the catastrophic rain in the area, the North Fork Reservoir auxiliary spillway has been activated. The dam is performing as designed, and the volume of water flowing downstream will increase as the storm intensifies.
Due to the high risk, a MANDATORY EVACUATION of the Swannanoa River Valley area is in place.
All residents within the designated area downstream of the reservoir are required to move to higher ground. If you need assistance to evacuate, please call 911.
Flooding in several states is expected to worsen.