63 dead in power outages and widespread flooding

At least 63 people died and millions were left without power as Hurricane Helene raged across the southeastern United States.

More than 400 roads remain closed in North Carolina, with the mountain town of Asheville largely cut off. According to the state's governor, Roy Cooper, relief supplies are being airlifted to residents.

Officials continued their daring rescue operations using boats, helicopters and large vehicles to help people stranded in floodwaters – including about 50 workers and patients crowded on the roof of a flooded Tennessee hospital.

It was the strongest storm on record to hit Florida's Big Bend and track north across Georgia and the Carolinas after making landfall overnight Thursday.

Insurers and financial institutions believe the storm could cause billions of dollars in damage.

Streets and houses were under water on Friday, a family told BBC News how they had to swim out of their house to safety.

Although Helene has weakened significantly, meteorologists warn that strong winds, flooding and the threat of tornadoes could continue.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Helene, a category four storm, came ashore Thursday evening and remained a hurricane for six hours after landfall.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said a storm surge – increased water levels caused primarily by strong winds blowing the water towards the coast – reached parts of the Florida coast more than 15 feet (4.5 m) above the ground.

The NHC said the surge was expected to ease before the weekend but the threat of strong winds and flooding, including possible landslides, would remain.

Up to 50 cm of rain is still possible in places.

The hurricane is the 14th most violent to hit the United States on record. At about 420 miles (675 km) wide, it trails only two other hurricanes – Ida in 2017 and Opal in 1996, both of which were 460 miles wide.

Due to its sheer size, the impact of strong winds and heavy rains was widespread throughout Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas.

At least eight people have died in Florida since Friday, including at least five in coastal Pinellas County, which includes the city of St. Petersburg, said county Sheriff Bob Gualtieri.

He added that the nearby coast had “never looked like this before” and described it as a “war zone”.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said one person died after a traffic sign fell on their car and another died when a tree fell on a home.

After hitting Florida, the storm continued its deadly path north into Georgia, leaving at least 15 dead – including a first responder, Gov. Brian Kemp said.

A suspected tornado that originated in Wheeler County in central Georgia left two people dead when it struck and overturned a mobile home, authorities said.

Kemp ordered 1,000 National Guard troops to help with rescue efforts across the state. Georgia's governor said Friday that people were still trapped in buildings.

At least 17 people were killed in South Carolina, according to CBS News, the BBC's US partner.

In neighboring North Carolina, at least seven people were killed in the storm, CBS News added.

Gov. Roy Cooper said one was killed a vehicle collision and another when a tree fell on a home in Charlotte.

The state also experienced two confirmed tornadoes that damaged 11 structures and injured 15 people, the National Weather Service said.

One person was also killed in Virginia, the state's governor, Glenn Youngkin, said at a press conference on Friday.

Across the Southeast, more than three million homes and businesses were without power as of Saturday morning, according to the tracking website poweroutage.us.

Ahead of the storm, 1,500 federal emergency personnel were deployed to the region, including 940 search and rescue specialists.

At the same time, around 8,000 members of the US Coast Guard helped in rescue operations.

More than 100 rescues have taken place in North Carolina alone, Cooper said.

In Tennessee, 58 patients and staff were stranded on the roof of a hospital in the town of Erwin on Friday. The fast-flowing waters of the Nolichucky River prevented boats from conducting rescue operations, and strong winds prevented a helicopter rescue.

The group was later brought to safety after Tennessee National Guard and Virginia State Police helicopters responded.

In Pasco County, north of Tampa on Florida's Gulf Coast, 65 people were rescued. Guests at a Ramada Inn in Manatee County were also rescued when floodwaters entered the hotel.

In Suwannee County to the north, authorities reported “extreme destruction,” with trees falling on homes.

Along Florida's Gulf Coast, Briana Gagnier told the BBC that she and her family saw water creeping into their Holmes Beach home and began moving their belongings onto tables and beds before they heard a loud bang.

“My family and I all looked at each other,” she said. “Then water just started pouring in.”

Ms Gagnier said she grabbed her pets, wallet and some portable chargers and swam out of her home with her family. The water was up to their shoulders.

On Friday, President Joe Biden said: “As we mourn the lives of those struck by this storm, I urge people to follow the instructions of local authorities and take every precaution to protect themselves and their families .”

Officials said the storm's impact is “not over yet” and urged residents to remain vigilant.

Hurricanes require sea surface temperatures greater than 27 °C (80 °F) to propel them.

Because the waters of the Gulf are exceptionally warm at 30-32°C, the sea surface is about two degrees Celsius above normal for this time of year.

Florida's 220-mile-long Big Bend coastline is where Hurricane Idalia made landfall in 2023. The area was also hit by Hurricane Debby last month.

There could be up to 25 named storms in 2024, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warned earlier this year.

Between eight and 13 of these storms could develop into hurricanes, and a handful, including Helene, have already done so.

Officials warned that more storms could be on the horizon, with the official end of hurricane season not until November 30.