Death toll rises as Helene unleashes catastrophic flooding across Florida, Georgia, Carolinas

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The remnants of Helene continued its onslaught across the Southeast on Friday, with nearly 4 dozen people dead across multiple states and several others trapped in rubble after the storm made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region late Thursday night as a monster Category 4 hurricane with winds of 140 mph.

At least 45 deaths have been reported so far, including 15 in Georgia, eight in Florida, two in North Carolina,19 in South Carolina and one in Virginia.

RELATED | Hurricane Helene aftermath: Photos, videos show storm damage in Florida after Cat. 4 landfall

According to the Wheeler County coroner in Georgia, two people were killed after the mobile home they were in was damaged during one of the numerous Tornado Warnings.

Another death is under investigation after FOX 5 Atlanta reported that a vehicle crashed into a tree in Colquitt County.

And in Blackshear, Georgia, the police chief said a part-time assistant fire chief was killed when a tree fell onto his vehicle.

Several people have also been killed in Florida, with one person killed in a crash on Interstate 4 near Tampa when a highway sign fell.

At least seven people were killed in Pinellas County, Florida, according to emergency officials. Of those, two occurred on Treasure Island, two were in Indian Rocks Beach and one was in Dunedin. Another person was killed by a falling tree, in Dixie County, Florida.

Officials said at least two of the deaths were drownings, and the others are under investigation.

One person was also killed in North Carolina after a tree fell onto a home in Charlotte, and two people were killed when trees fell onto homes in Anderson County.

Helene made landfall about 10 miles west-southwest of Perry, Florida, at 11:10 p.m. ET Thursday, and impacts have been felt across the Southeast and into portions of the mid-Atlantic as the monster storm pushed farther inland and began to weaken.

While wind does remain a concern, the greatest threat from Helene continues to be the flash flooding as torrential rain falls across the region, sending rivers and streams out of their banks, onto roads, and into communities, trapping residents.

The flash flood threat stretches from the Southeast into the mid-Atlantic, where multiple Flash Flood Emergencies were issued early Friday morning, including the first-ever Flash Flood Emergency issued for Atlanta.

Multiple Flash Flood Emergencies were also issued in western North Carolina from Asheville to the Charlotte area, as well as in portions of South Carolina and Virginia.

The Asheville Fire Department said on X that a mandatory evacuation of the Swannanoa River Valley was underway because of the flooding, and a shelter has been opened up for displaced residents.

According to a post on X from Haywood County Emergency Services, residents in portions of Waynesville, North Carolina, are being told to evacuate because of the potentially deadly situation that's unfolding.

"Leave now," officials said. "Climb to higher ground. Do not drive through the water."

Local officials also said that emergency sirens in town have been sounded to alert people of the potential danger as torrential rain continues to fall, leading to the widespread flooding.

Hundreds of water rescues take place in Florida, Georgia

Countless emergency crews from Florida to Georgia are responding to reports of people being trapped in their homes and vehicles as rivers and streams rapidly rise due to the flooding from relentless rain that has been pounding the region.

According to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office in Florida, first responders have so far responded to more than 200 water rescue calls and have rescued at least 65 people with additional water rescues ongoing.

In Georgia, FOX 5 Atlanta reports fire crews are using boats to rescue families trapped by floodwaters in their homes near Peachtree Creek in northwest Atlanta.

Evacuations have also been ordered for some residents in Sandy Springs, Georgia, near Nancy Creek, and officials have told people to seek higher ground immediately because of the rapidly rising water.

A dramatic rescue was also captured live on FOX Weather early Friday morning in Atlanta.

Cameras were rolling when several residents and pets were being directed to safety after flooding was reported, and the video shows a woman with a baby strapped to her chest being led out of the water to dry ground.

FOX Weather Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen found himself in the middle of a harrowing rescue as Helene slammed the Atlanta area.

While covering the storm's aftermath, Van Dillen, a journalist from the area, heard a woman's desperate cries for help along Peach Tree Creek. She had driven into floodwaters and was trapped in her car before sunrise.

Without hesitation, Van Dillen, a towering 6-foot, 1-inch man, waded into the chest-deep water, battling strong currents to reach the woman. 

He pulled her to safety, carrying her through the floodwaters to a nearby dry area. 

Georgia officer injured when tree crushes patrol car

A police deputy in Georgia escaped serious injuries after a tree fell on his patrol car during then-Hurricane Helene, crushing the front of the vehicle.

According to the Clayton County Police Department, the police officer was on his way home early Friday morning after working through the storm when the tree fell while he was driving on Highway 138.

The tree fell onto the front of the vehicle, destroying it.

"Fortunately, Officer Soumah sustained only minor injuries and was transported to the hospital for further evaluation," police said in a Facebook post. "It’s truly a blessing that he wasn’t driving faster, as the tree could have landed directly on the cab."

Millions without power across the Southeast as Helene’s winds batter region

Power outages across the region began to rise as soon as the first impacts from then-Hurricane Helene began to batter the region on Thursday.

More than 3.6 million outages were reported from the Southeast to the mid-Atlantic, including more than 1.1 million outages in Florida, 1.3 million in South Carolina and more than 1 million in Georgia.

Many of the power outages are attributed to the destructive winds produced by Helene, including a 99-mph gust in Perry, a 75-mph gust near Jacksonville, Florida, and a 72-mph gust at Jacksonville International Airport.

Strong winds were also reported in Georgia, where an 88-mph wind gust was reported in Valdosta, an 86-mph gust in Alma and a 75-mph gust in Savannah.

FOX Weather's Ian Oliver said the surge quickly submerged streets around St. Pete Beach on Thursday evening when high tide was still several hours away.

And farther south in a community called Sunset Beach, local fire rescue said it would no longer respond to calls for service due to the flooding.

Clearwater Beach reported its highest surge since at least the Superstorm of 1993, with a level of more than 7 feet.

Storm surge remained a dire threat during the system's trek up the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Because of the storm's massive size, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Helene brought a significant risk of life-threatening storm surge along the entire west coast of the Florida Peninsula and Florida’s Big Bend region.

The highest inundation, with as much as 20 feet of storm surge flooding, was expected from Carrabelle to the Suwannee River in Florida. Other locations like Apalachicola and Chassahowitzka were expected to see 10-15 feet of storm surge.

"A catastrophic and deadly storm surge is likely along portions of the Florida Big Bend coast, where inundation could reach as high as 20 feet above ground level, along with destructive waves," the NHC warned.  The National Weather Service in Tallahassee called the expected storm surge into Apalachee Bay "catastrophic and potentially unsurvivable."

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO:

• Download the FOX 35 News app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines
• Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar
• Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines
• FOX Local: Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV