43 dead as hurricane sweeps through US

KABUL (Pajhwok): At least 43 people have died as Hurricane Helene swept through the southeastern United States, the BBC reports.

Officials are conducting daring rescue operations using boats, helicopters, and large vehicles to assist those stranded in floodwaters.

The marooned individuals include around 50 workers and patients, who took refuge on the roof of a flooded hospital in Tennessee.

Hurricane Helene, the most powerful storm on record to hit Florida's Big Bend, made landfall overnight on Thursday and has since moved north into Georgia and the Carolinas.

Insurers and financial institutions estimate that the damage from the tropical storm could run into billions of dollars.

On Friday, roads and homes were submerged, with one family recounting to BBC News how they had to swim out of their house to reach safety.

Although Helene has weakened significantly, forecasters warn that high winds, flooding and the threat of tornadoes may persist.

The storm, initially a Category 4 hurricane, remained at hurricane strength for six hours after making landfall, as reported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) indicated that a storm surge, caused by high winds pushing water towards shore, reached over 15 feet (4.5 meters) above ground level in parts of the Florida coast.

sa/mud