Helene weakens into tropical depression as rescue efforts persist

AP:

Hurricane Helene weakened into a tropical depression on Friday after making landfall overnight in northwestern Florida as a category-4 storm. At least 30 people in four states have died.

Authorities continue to rescue people trapped by floodwaters and millions were without power across much of the southeastern US.

Helene came ashore amid warnings from the National Hurricane Center that the enormous system could create a “nightmare” storm surge.

Hurricane John once again weakened into a tropical storm Thursday evening as the slow-moving storm crept along the coast of the Mexican state of Michoacan, the US National Hurricane Center said.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Isaac strengthened Friday into a hurricane in the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean and could cause dangerous waves in parts of Bermuda, forecasters said.

Tropical Storm Joyce formed on Friday morning in the Atlantic Ocean and wasn’t threatening land, forecasters said. The storm was expected to strengthen gradually through Sunday before weakening early next week.

In eastern Tennessee, a “catastrophic failure” of Waterville Dam spurred evacuation orders for all of downtown Newport, a city of about 7,000 people about 60 miles (97 kilometres) southwest of where dozens of people were being rescued from the roof of a hospital.

More than one million customers remained without power in South Carolina several hours after the remnants of Hurricane Helene left the state and the sun started to come out.

Utility officials warned power could be out for many for a long time. Crews were still assessing the damage and in some cases needed to cut their way through debris just to determine what was left standing.

“You will be frustrated. Tomorrow it’s going to be 86 degrees and clear. You’re going to say ‘Why can’t I watch the football game? Why can’t my life be back to normal?’ Life’s not going to be back to normal until probably the middle of next week,” Dominion Energy South Carolina President Keller Kissam said Friday.

The 1.2 million South Carolina customers without power represent more than 40 per cent of homes and businesses in the state.

Governor Henry McMaster said the storm moved east of where it was forecast and gave the state a bigger blow than expected.

“We urge everybody to be patient and keep your neighbours in your prayers,” McMaster said.

At least 15 people have died in Georgia from causes related to Hurricane Helene, according to Garrison Douglas, a spokesperson for Governor Brian Kemp.

Since August of 2023, the rural community along Florida’s Big Bend has taken direct hits from three hurricanes – and seen the closure of its local paper mill, which for decades had been one of the economic lifelines for a county where one in six residents lives below the poverty line.

“The word that just keeps coming to my mind is just devastated,” said Aaron Portwood, publisher of Perry Newspapers, which is based in the county seat of Perry. “You get hit with one thing. And you think, ‘This is bad’. And you recover from that. And then another one hits, and you’re like, ‘OK that stings’. But after about four or five, it starts to feel pretty overwhelming.”

Portwood’s house in Dekle Beach on the county’s long undeveloped coastline was gutted by Hurricane Helene, though the structure still stands. Beyond his own home, Portwood said he’s worried about the future of this county that is steadily having its tax base wiped off the map.

Two firefighters killed during Hurricane Helene in South Carolina were struck by a tree, authorities said.

The tree hit their firetruck around 6:30 a.m. Friday about four miles west of Batesburg-Leesville, South Carolina Highway Patrol Cpl. David Jones said.

At least 17 people have been killed in South Carolina as Hurricane Helene tore through the western part of the state.