Damage in Georgia 'looks like a bomb went off'
Georgia saw a historic 11 inches of rainfall from the combination of Hurricane Helene and a storm earlier in the week.
Helene sparked flash flooding and mudslides, and destruction includes crumbled buildings, fallen trees and downed power lines, officials said.
From the air, Gov. Brian Kemp said the damage "looks like a bomb went off."
Seventeen people have been killed from Helene in Georgia and officials warned "that number will most likely climb as a result of … the cleanup process, due to dangerous situations."
Georgia Power CEO Kim Greene said Helene caused "an unprecedented level of damage." Compared to last year’s Hurricane Idalia, she said Helene caused more than double the amount of damage to the company's distribution system, and significantly more to the transmission system, complicating restoration efforts.
Officials are urging residents to stay off the roads.
"Be patient, help your neighbor, and thank these first responders," Kemp said.