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A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 30 SepteMber 2024
How Helene became the near-perfect storm to bring widespread

destruction across the South

By Terry Spencer in their 70s, and her 6-year-
Associated Press old nephew had drowned.
(AP) - Hurricane Helene killed “I cannot convey in words
and destroyed far and wide the sorrow, heartbreak and
— from Tampa to Atlanta to devastation my sisters and
Asheville, North Carolina, its I are going through,” she
high winds, heavy rains and wrote.
sheer size created a perfect Jeff Muenstermann and his
mix for devastation. wife, Lisa, friends of Turner’s,
The storm made landfall late told The Associated Press on
Thursday along a largely Saturday they had spoken to
undeveloped expanse of Turner after she posted the
pine trees and salt marshes initial plea for help. At her re-
on Florida's Big Bend coast, quest, they messaged mem-
but it immediately displayed bers of The Village Church in
its far-reaching power sev- Flower Mound, Texas, where
eral hundred miles away. As they all attend, to pray for
of Sunday morning, at least the family’s safety back in
64 people were confirmed Elsie Hicks looks at the destruction of the home she has lived in for 25 years, in the aftermath of North Carolina.
killed. Hurricane Helene, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) “I just thought they were
Tampa Bay was inundated going to be rescued,” Jeff
with a massive storm surge creating widespread storm were residents who stayed fell on her house nearby. Muenstermann said. “I asked
that sent water up to peo- surge. It carried heavy rains. behind after their Tampa Bay Rhonda Bell and her hus- everybody to pray and they
ple's attics. Atlanta got more And it was fast, speeding area neighborhoods were band were spending a sleep- did. And then a couple hours
than 11 inches of rain, more north at up to 24 mph (39 ordered evacuated. less night in the downstairs later, her husband called
than any 48-hour period in kph) offshore and 30 mph Pinellas County Sheriff Bob bedroom of their century-old me, completely distraught
recorded history. So many (48 kph) inland. Gualtieri expressed his frus- home just outside Valdo- and said ... we lost them.
trees were toppled in South He compared the geograph- tration — issuing evacua- sta, where Helene’s center They all drowned.”
Carolina that at one point ic scale of Helene's destruc- tion orders isn't a decision passed shortly after midnight. SOUTH CAROLINA
more than 40 percent of tion to 1972's Hurricane Ag- that's made lightly, he said. The winds broke off limbs, The storm was especially
the state lost electricity. In nes, 1989's Hurricane Hugo Many who ignored officials tore away neighbors’ roof deadly in South Carolina.
North Carolina, dams were and 2004's Hurricane Ivan. then called for help as some shingles and knocked down The biggest impact appears
in jeopardy of failing and “Systems that get very pow- sought refuge in their attics fence panels in the neighbor- to be falling trees. The storm
entire communities are cut erful, large and fast moving from the rising waters. Depu- hood with train tracks along also produced tornadoes in
off by floods. Floodwaters unfortunately do bring the ties tried to help, using boats one edge. Then a towering the state.
submerged a hospital in Ten- potential for impact and and high-profile vehicles, but oak tree crashed through the In Saluda County, two fire-
nessee so quickly that more damage well inland,” Brown they couldn't reach many roof of an upstairs bedroom. fighters were killed when a
than 50 patients had to be said Saturday. neighborhoods. “I just felt the whole house tree fell on their truck while
rescued from the roof via Here is a look at the many “We made our case, we told shake,” Bell said. “Thank God they were answering a call.
helicopter. deadly tentacles of Helene. people what they needed we’re both alive to tell about In Greenville County, four
How did a single storm un- FLORIDA to do and they chose oth- it.” people were killed by falling
leash destruction so far Helene's devastation be- erwise,” Gualtieri said at a Atlanta was hit with 11 inches trees. Four people were also
away? gan Thursday, hours before Friday press conference. (28 centimeters) of rain, the killed in Aiken County by trees
Dan Brown, a specialist at the it made landfall, as it swept Late Thursday, Helene's eye heaviest 48-hour downfall falling on homes, including a
National Hurricane Center through the Gulf of Mexico. slammed into the northwest since the city began keep- 78-year-old husband and his
near Miami, said Helene had Its then-120-mph (193-kph) Florida coast in the Big Bend ing records in 1878. Streets 74-year-old wife.
all the attributes that make winds created storm surge area, the spot where the flooded, submerging cars. TENNESSEE
a storm widely destructive. that pushed 6-to-15-feet (2- Panhandle makes its west- Firefighters rescued at least Helene's heavy rains caused
It was large, about 350 miles to-4.5 meters) of water into ward jut from the peninsu- 20 people. the state's eastern rivers to
(560 kilometers) wide. It was island and coastal neighbor- la — Hurricanes Idalia and NORTH CAROLINA overflow their banks and
strong, with winds reaching hoods all along Florida's west Debby had previously hit Helene's heavy rains in the threatened to break dams,
140 mph (225 kph) when it coast. the area within the last 13 state's western mountains endangering those living
made landfall late Thursday, Nine people who drowned months. caused massive flooding nearby and forcing them
Susan Sauls Hartway had and mudslides in the Ashe- to flee.
evacuated her seaside ville region, cutting off most Patients and others at a hos-
home — it was gone and communication and making pital near the North Carolina
when she returned Friday. the roads impassable. border had to be evacuated
“I knew it would be bad, but Video posted online shows to the roof Friday when tor-
I had no idea it was going to large portions of the city un- rents from the overflowing
be this bad,” Hartway said. derwater. Nolichucky River rushed into
“This is unbelievable.” More than 1,000 miles (1,610 the building.
GEORGIA kilometers) away in Texas, Unicoi County Hospital tried
After making landfall, Helene Jessica Drye Turner begged to evacuate 11 patients and
sped into Georgia. Among on Facebook on Friday for dozens of others, but the wa-
more than 20 dead were a someone to rescue her fami- ter was too treacherous for
27-year-old mother and her ly members stranded on their boats sent by the Tennessee
1-month old twins died Fri- Asheville rooftop. Emergency Management
Residents discard items from their homes which filled with day when trees fell on their But in a follow-up message Agency to navigate.
floodwaters from Hurricane Helene in the Shore Acres house in Thomson, just west Saturday, Turner said the roof Helicopters were flown in to
neighborhood on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. of Augusta. An 89-year-old had collapsed before help help rescue them. Eventually,
(AP Photo/Mike Carlson) woman was killed when trees arrived and her parents, both everyone was evacuated. q