JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — At least 18 people are dead in Florida and Georgia after Tropical Storm Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane Thursday night.
Five deaths were reported by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. One death occurred in Dunedin, two deaths occurred on Treasure Island and two in Indian Rocks Beach, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said.
Gualtieri described parts of the area as an impassable "warzone."
"It's not safe out there," he said.
One person was killed driving in Tampa when a sign fell into the road and hit their car. Tampa Fire and Rescue first reported the crash just before 8 p.m. Thursday night, and Gov. Ron DeSantis talked about the death urging people not to drive and stay indoors at a press conference late last night.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said a person was also killed in Dixie County due to a tree falling on a home.
In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp said 11 people have died across Georgia from the storm.
Two people were killed last night in Wheeler County, Georgia, when their mobile home was overturned by a suspected tornado, officials said last night.
Another was reported in Blackshear, Georgia, when a firefighter was killed by a tree falling on his vehicle, the Pierce County Fire Department said.
Two more people have been reported dead Thursday morning in Laurens County, Georgia. One died after a tree fell on a house, and another died in a car crash.
One person is confirmed dead in South Carolina from the storm.
