Hurricane Helene kills at least 44 and cuts a swath of destruction across the Southeast

Destroyed structures sit in floodwater after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Horseshoe Beach, Florida, US on September 27, 2024. REUTERS/Kathleen Flynn

PERRY, Fla. (AP): Hurricane Helene left an enormous path of destruction across Florida and the southeastern US on Friday, killing at least 44 people, snapping towering oaks like twigs 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. According to an Associated Press tally, the deaths occurred in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.