Hurricane Helene sweeps across America as death toll hits 44

Thousands in North Carolina have been told to evacuate their homes after Hurricane Helene moves further up north.

The ‘unsurvivable’ Category 4 hurricane swept through Florida and southeastern U.S. over the last few days, leaving a path of destruction.

At least 44 people have died in what is being described as the most powerful storm to strike Florida’s Big Bend region since records began.

Three firefighters, a woman and her 1-month-old twins, and an 89-year-old woman are among the 44 who have lost their lives in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, AP reports.

Florida is facing strong winds and flooding (Picture: AP)

Residents in Newport, North Carolina were ordered to leave on Friday afternoon, after the Waterville Dam that sits across state lines was placed under a state of emergency.

In Rutherford County, the Lake Lure dam faced ‘imminent failure’ on Friday, with emergency management officials warning residents to evacuate, however later it was believed the structure was holding.

Helene struck Florida on Thursday as a 140mph Category 4 hurricane with ‘unsurvivable’ conditions, but has since been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone.

The storm is expected to leave behind $15-26billion (£11.2-19.4billion) behind in property damage.

In north east Tennessee, 54 people were moved off a roof at Unicoi County Hospital as the building flooded by a helicopter, in what is being described as a ‘dangerous rescue situation’.

Everyone at the facility was successfully rescued and nobody was left at the hospital.

In Atlanta, the city saw the most rain since records began in 1878.

A record 11.12inches of rain fell in 48 hours, Georgia’s Office of the State Climatologist shared on X.

The previous record, set in 1886, was 9.59inches.

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