Death toll from Hurricane Helene reaches 33

WASHINGTON - The death toll from Hurricane Helene rose to at least 33 people across the southeastern United States, authorities said, as torrential flooding inundated communities and emergency responders launched massive rescue operations.

Roads, homes and businesses were underwater after the enormous storm made landfall near the Florida state capital Tallahassee overnight and surged north, knocking out power for millions of customers.

And while Helene, a Category 4 hurricane, weakened to a tropical storm and eventually a tropical depression it has continued to wreak havoc across multiple states, hammering them with heavy winds and rain that the National Hurricane Center described as "life-threatening conditions."

The Miami-based NHC reported the storm was "still producing historic and catastrophic flooding" and warned of flash floods in Georgia's largest city Atlanta, as well as in South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee.

Up to 30cm  of rain was forecast in the Appalachian mountains, with isolated spots even receiving 20 inches.

In South Carolina at least 14 people have died, including two firefighters, officials said. Four of the fatalities were related to "trees falling through the roof of the homes," said Darryl Ables, the coroner in Aiken County.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp reported 11 killed in his state, including an emergency responder, and he warned that the city of Valdosta had identified 115 heavily damaged structures with multiple people trapped inside.

Florida's toll stood at seven. Governor Ron DeSantis said the damage from Helene exceeded that of hurricanes Idalia and Debby, which both hit the same Big Bend region southeast of Tallahasee in the last 13 months.