Weather tracker: Hurricane Helene leaves trail of death and devastation

Hurricane Helene hit the Florida coastline last week as a category 4 hurricane with mean wind speeds of 140mph, making it the strongest hurricane on record to hit the Florida big bend region. It carried on northwards through several states in the south-eastern US, causing significant devastation. Two hundred people are known to have died, making it the deadliest mainland hurricane to strike the US since Katrina in 2005.

Rapid weakening occurred as Helene made its way inland, becoming a category 2 hurricane by the time it reached Georgia on Friday morning, then weakening further to a tropical storm later on Friday. Despite weakening, the storm continued to bring huge amounts of rainfall and strong winds to Georgia and other states including South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.

The worst affected state was North Carolina, where almost half of the deaths occurred. The state received three months-worth of rain, with three-day totals of up to 31in (775mm) at Busick in the North Carolina mountains, while Asheville airport recorded 14in (350mm). Buncombe County was especially affected, where 50 deaths were confirmed after the worst flooding since 1916 swept away thousands of homes, with rivers there reaching record levels. Strong winds were also felt in western North Carolina, with a 66mph gust at Charlotte airport the strongest seen there since a thunderstorm microburst in August 2019, while gusts of more than 80mph were recorded elsewhere. The winds resulted in major power outages across the south-eastern US with millions left without power.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Typhoon Krathon struck Taiwan, bringing powerful storm surges and strong winds. Krathon made landfall as a category 1 storm in southern Taiwan, hitting the country’s second largest city, Kaohsiung, with 100mph gusts. Alongside damage to trees and roofs, hundreds of containers were thrown from ships in the city’s port. Two deaths have been confirmed so far, with several people reported missing amid the destruction of homes by landslides.

Authorities had made extra preparations for Krathon, showing extra caution following Typhoon Gaemi in July, which killed 11 people. Hundreds of flights were cancelled and planes grounded on Wednesday and Thursday, while schools, offices, and marketplaces were ordered to close.