The death toll from Hurricane Helen, which hit the United States, has reached 43. The category four hurricane hit northwest Florida at midnight on Thursday local time.
CBS News, the American partner of the BBC, confirmed this information today on Saturday. South Carolina reported the highest number of deaths. The death toll in that area is 17.
Local officials confirmed the deaths in six different counties. Among the dead are two firemen. Two people died after a tree fell on their house. Another 15 died in Georgia. At least eight people have died in Florida, two in North Carolina and one in Virginia.
Roads were flooded due to heavy rains caused by the storm. A Florida airport has been closed. Millions of people have been cut off. Many areas were left without power due to Helen’s rampage.
According to the BBC, in total, about 4 million people are in crisis with electricity. More than 1 million customers are without power in South Carolina and nearly 9 million in Georgia and North Carolina. No deaths were reported in Ohio, but more than 300,000 customers were without power.
Many people have been injured in various ways due to the impact of the storm. They have been taken to hospital. Rescue operations are continuing. All educational institutions in Florida and surrounding states have been closed.
Florida residents fear frequent natural disasters. This is the third time the state has been hit by a hurricane in the last one year.
