Helene makes landfall in northwest Florida as a powerful Category 4 hurricane, with “catastrophic” winds and storm surge

Hurricane Helene made landfall this Thursday night in northwest Florida as a devastating Category 4 hurricane. According to the United States National Hurricane Center (NHC), Helene reached Florida with maximum sustained winds of 225 km/h. a “catastrophic” storm surge that can exceed 6 meters in some areas of the coast.

Before the hurricane arrived, authorities had urged the population to comply with evacuation orders.

So far, more than 1 million homes have been left without power due to the storm in Florida and Georgia.

In the hurricane’s impact area is Tallahassee, the capital of Florida, which has not experienced a storm of this magnitude in decades.

In a press conference this Thursday night, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis asked the population to stay in their shelters until the storm passes.

Map of the path of Hurricane Helene

State of emergency in Florida

Authorities issued flood and tornado watches from Florida to North Carolina.

In Florida, numerous search and rescue teams have been mobilized and shelters have been opened for residents in affected areas.

The area that will receive the greatest impact is expected to be Big Bend, in northwest Florida, where an extreme wind alert was issued.

“This means that strong winds of 185 km/h or more are expected due to the eyewall of a hurricane,” warned the National Weather Service in Tallahassee.

In the state of Georgia, a state of emergency was also declared, as Helene is expected to head northwest after hitting northwest Florida.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said he expects the storm to “affect our entire state.”

“We are sure that we are going to have to remove debris and clear the roads throughout the state,” he said in an interview with Reuters, adding that the situation could be “very dangerous.”

click here to read more stories from BBC News Mundo.

You can also follow us on YouTube, instagram, TikTok, x, Facebook and in our new WhatsApp channelwhere you will find breaking news and our best content.

And remember that you can receive notifications in our app. Download the latest version and activate them.

• Helene is approaching the Florida coast as a Category 4 hurricane, where it will make landfall with “catastrophic” winds and storm surges.