Hurricane Helene has left a trail of destruction in its wake as it tore through the south east of the US, claiming the lives of at least 40 people. The deadly storm, which has been downgraded to a tropical depression, brought winds of up to 140 mph, leaving homes in ruins and trees uprooted. Emergency crews are working tirelessly to rescue people trapped in flooded homes, while millions are left without electricity.
The Category 4 hurricane caused at least 15 deaths in Georgia, including a first responder and two young children who were trapped in a burning house after a tree fell on it. South Carolina reported at least 17 storm-related deaths, including two firefighters who were killed when their vehicle was struck by a tree. Additional fatalities were reported in North Carolina and Florida, where the storm caused significant flooding and damage.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis praised first responders for their courageous efforts in carrying out hundreds of successful search and rescue operations. The storm also led to the catastrophic failure of a second dam in Tennessee, prompting a state of emergency declaration. The devastation caused by Hurricane Helene underscores the urgent need for action to address climate change and its impact on extreme weather events. Helene is the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, with experts predicting an above-average season due to record-warm ocean temperatures exacerbated by human-induced climate change.
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