Hurricane Helene, downgraded to a tropical storm, killed three people in the states of Georgia and Florida

Hurricane Helene, downgraded to a tropical storm, caused two deaths on Friday, September 27, during its passage through the state of Georgia, after killing one person in Florida as it swept across the coasts of the southeast of the United States, local authorities announced. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp called on all residents “to prepare for further impacts from Helene, to remain vigilant and to pray for all those affected”, in a message published on X.

The US Hurricane Center (NHC) reported maximum winds of 175 km/h. Helene made landfall Thursday evening in Florida as a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, which has five.

Hélène has dumped intense rains and the risk of marine submersion particularly worries the authorities. Due to falling trees, around a million homes were without power in Florida on Thursday evening, according to the website poweroutage.us. US President Joe Biden has “urged” residents to take into account the “calls to evacuate” issued by the authorities. “Take this seriously, and be careful”he insisted.