Hurricane Helene has intensified as it heads towards Florida, causing destruction in parts of Mexico and prompting evacuations and states of emergency across the Southeast. On Wednesday, the storm’s centre was reported to be about 110 miles northeast of Cozumel, Mexico, with forecasters warning of significant surges and potential devastation as it crosses the Gulf of Mexico.
President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency in Florida, allowing federal aid to be mobilised. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp have also declared emergencies, urging residents to heed evacuation orders.
Helene is classified among the largest hurricanes, with forecasters predicting a surge of up to 18 feet in some areas.The storm is expected to to maintain its strength as it approaches Florida, with top sustained winds to exceed 110 mph by Thursday. The storm is projected to make landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region.
In Tallahassee, residents are filling sandbags and evacuating as gas stations run dry. Florida A&M student Kameron Benjamin expressed concern, saying, “This hurricane is heading straight to Tallahassee, so I really don’t know what to expect.” Many locals remember the devastation caused by Hurricane Michael in 2018, which intensified rapidly and devastated large areas.
Kristin Korinko, a Tallahassee resident, noted the urgency of the situation and said, “People are taking heed and hightailing it out of there for higher ground.” Robbie Berg, a national warning coordinator for the hurricane centre, cautioned against comparisons to previous storms, “Please do not compare it to other storms you may have experienced over the past year or two”, he said.
Beyond Florida, hurricane conditions are expected as far north as Georgia, with heavy rainfall and potential landslides predicted in the southern Appalachians. Areas of the Yucatan Peninsula are under hurricane warnings as Helene swirls towards Florida, having already flooded streets and downed trees in Cancun.
In Cuba, officials are moving cattle to safety and shutting off power in preparation for the storm’s impact. The Cayman Islands are also experiencing flood warnings, while Florida’s Key West is feeling the brunt of wind-driven waves.