Helene hell: Powerful storm pummels southeast US, 49 dead across 5 states

Helene, a once-powerful Category 4 hurricane, continued to wreak havoc across the southeastern United States, leaving at least 49 people dead and thousands stranded in floodwaters.
With winds reaching 140 mph, the storm first hit Florida’s Big Bend region on Thursday night before continuing its destructive path through several states, resulting in widespread power outages, devastating floods, and the displacement of thousands.
Storm-related deaths have been reported in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia. Nearly 3.5 million people across five states are without power, and authorities have warned that restoration could take several days.
The hurricane, which has since weakened into a post-tropical cyclone, continued to produce heavy rain, sparking life-threatening floods that could lead to dam failures, threatening to inundate entire towns.