More than four million homes were without electricity Friday evening.
An already dramatic assessment. At least 44 people have died and millions of Americans are without electricity after the passage of Hurricane Helene, which caused massive flooding in the southeast of the United States, where the storm continues on Friday September 27 in gradually weakening.
From Tallahassee, Florida to Charlotte, North Carolina, strong winds and heavy rains caused flash flooding, falling trees and blowing away homes.
On the Florida coast, marine submersion has caused significant flooding, with sea levels rising up to six meters in places, according to the state governor.
Most powerful hurricane in the region?
At least 20 people died in South Carolina, 15 in Georgia, seven in Florida, one in North Carolina and one in Virginia, according to a report compiled by AFP from statements by local authorities.
And more than four million homes were without electricity Friday evening, according to the poweroutage.us website.
Even though winds have dropped to 55 km/h, the US Hurricane Center (NHC) warned that “historic” and “catastrophic” flooding, accompanied by landslides, would continue in the Appalachian Mountains until Friday evening.
Hélène made landfall in northwest Florida on Thursday evening as a category 4 hurricane on a scale of 5, with winds blowing at 225 km/h. It was the most powerful hurricane to ever hit this region, according to expert Michael Lowry.
Global warming responsible?
By warming ocean waters, climate change makes the rapid intensification of these storms more likely and increases the risk of more powerful hurricanes.
After forming, Helen moved over particularly warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico — more than 30°C, according to climatologist Andra Garner. “It is likely that these very warm waters played a role in the rapid intensification of Hélène,” underlined the expert.
“We also know that the phenomenon of marine flooding linked to hurricanes is getting worse, because ocean levels are rising as we warm the planet,” she told AFP.
