Hurricane Helene leaves 61 dead and millions powerless in the southeast

"It looks like a tornado went off, it looks like a bomb went off and it's not just here," recounted Georgia Governor Brian Kemp after the catastrophe. American media emphasize that Helene "spared no one."

The number of fatalities caused by the hurricane's impact in the southeastern regions of the USA has exceeded 60 people. Hundreds of roads remain closed, and authorities warn of the risk of landslides.

Over 2.5 million customers are without power in five states, and authorities warn that full restoration of supplies may take several days.

Category 4 Hurricane Helene struck on the night from Thursday to Friday in the American states of Florida and Georgia. It was accompanied by winds blowing at speeds of up to 225 km/h and intense rainfall, causing significant damage and floods. Rescue services are gradually reaching residents trapped in flooded homes.

The hurricane, one of the most powerful to hit the United States, weakened slightly on Friday, but in several states, it still caused heavy rains and floods, threatening to break dams and flood entire towns.

In Pinellas County, Florida, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said he had never seen destruction like that caused by Hurricane Helene.

The scale of the destruction can be seen in many photos and videos that have been posted online.

The disaster caused trees to fall on buildings. A church in Perry, Florida, lost its roof, which had recently been repaired after a hurricane last year.

More than 50 people have been rescued after being stranded on the roof of a Tennessee hospital Friday – some of them for hours – due to rising floodwaters from Hurricane Helene - said the rescue services.

The mayor of Cocke County, Tennessee, ordered the evacuation of the central part of the city of Newport due to the threat of a nearby dam breaking.

In Buncombe County, North Carolina, landslides forced authorities to close Interstates 40 and 26.