US hurricane "Helene":

Mega floods and dozens of deaths

A helicopter can be seen on the roof of Unicoi County Hospital in Erwin, Tennessee, where patients and staff had to be rescued.

(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Tropical storm "Helene" has caused "historic flooding" in the south-east of the USA and left a trail of devastation in its wake.

Houses were destroyed and entire villages flooded. There were reports of people being killed or injured by fallen trees, while others died in their cars and homes. Numerous roads were washed out and closed in the affected regions. Concerned about the imminent collapse of the Nolichucky Dam in Tennessee, residents in the affected areas had to leave their homes on the instructions of the authorities.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned that the risk of flash flooding was particularly high in the southern Appalachians. More than three million households across the country were without power, according to data from the website "poweroutage.us". According to US media, at least 40 people died in several states.

(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The destruction caused by the storm stretched hundreds of kilometers inland from Florida in the south. The states of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio and Illinois were particularly affected. The authorities warn that it could take longer to restore the power supply.

Second-highest category hurricane
"Helene" made landfall in the Big Bend region in the state of Florida on Thursday evening (local time) as a second-highest category hurricane with sustained wind speeds of up to 225 kilometers per hour. It then weakened to a tropical storm and continued north across the Appalachian Mountains. The US hurricane center continued to warn of life-threatening flooding and landslides. US Vice President Kamala Harris also issued a warning to the population: "The storm remains dangerous and deadly, it has cost lives, and the threat of flooding remains high."

People climbed onto the roof of a hospital
There was also severe flooding in the small town of Erwin in the state of Tennessee. Here, more than 50 people climbed onto the roof of a hospital to save themselves from the floods. With the help of a helicopter, police and emergency services managed to bring the people to safety. Everyone was brought to safety, Senator Bill Hagerty announced on the short message service X.

(Bild: 2024 Getty Images)

It is still unclear how many people lost their lives in the storm. US broadcaster NBC reported at least 42 deaths, ABC News at least 44. In storms of this kind, the extent of the destruction often only becomes apparent days later. Victims of the storm are often not discovered until the storm has passed and the water has receded.

More storms due to climate change
Storms like "Helene" bring back dark memories of previous storms for many people in the USA. Two years ago, Hurricane Ian caused enormous damage in Florida, killing more than 100 people. At that time, the center of the storm passed over densely populated areas in the southwest of the state and swept over coastal cities with wind speeds of around 240 kilometers per hour.

Tropical cyclones form over warm ocean waters. According to experts, increasing global warming increases the likelihood of strong storms. The hurricane season begins in the Atlantic on June 1 and lasts until November 30.