Helene Weakens To Tropical Storm, Continues To Cause Deaths and Massive Power Outages

Key Takeaways

• Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane Thursday night with wind speeds of about 140 miles per hour, but now downgraded to tropical storm.
• At least 20 deaths have been reported across three states.
• Almost 4 million people had lost power across South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina and Florida as of 1:30 pm Eastern, according to PowerOutage.us.
• Though Helene has weakened but “life-threatening storm surge, winds, and heavy rains continue,” the National Hurricane Center said.

Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane Thursday night with wind speeds of around 140 miles per hour. It has since weakened to a tropical storm but continues to cause damage, deaths and severe power outages.

Across Florida, Georgia and North Carolina, at least 20 people have died as of midday Friday, The New York Times reported.

Almost 4 million people had lost power across South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina and Florida as of 1:30 pm Eastern, according to PowerOutage.us.

No Longer A Hurricane, But Still Causing Damage

Helene weakened to a tropical storm as it moved farther inland over Georgia, but “life-threatening storm surge, winds, and heavy rains continue,” the National Hurricane Center said.

The storm is producing “historic and catastropic flooding over portions of the Southeast and Southern Appalachians,” the center also said Friday at midday Eastern Time.

Insured losses from Helene could add up to $3-$6 billion, UBS analysts said in a note Thursday, quoting preliminary estimates from reinsurance company Gallagher Re. In comparison, Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm in 2022, caused damage worth roughly $55 billion, the UBS analyst wrote.

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