Hurricane Helene kills at least 44 in US

Hurricane Helene left an enormous path of destruction across Florida and the southeastern US on Friday, killing at least 44 people, and tearing apart homes as rescue crews launched desperate missions to save people from floodwaters.

Among those killed were three firefighters, a woman and her 1-month-old twins, and an 89-year-old woman whose house was struck by a falling tree. The deaths occurred in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, reports Associated Press.

The Category 4 hurricane knocked out power to some hospitals in southern Georgia, and Governor Brian Kemp said authorities had to use chainsaws to clear debris and open up roads.

The storm had maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (225 kph) when it made landfall late Thursday in a sparsely populated region in Florida’s rural Big Bend area, home to fishing villages.

Moody’s Analytics said it expects $15 billion to $26 billion in property damage.