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Hurricane Helene live updates: 52 dead in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia
Helene's storm surge, wind damage and inland flooding has been catastrophic.
Rescues are ongoing and the cleanup is underway on Saturday after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region Thursday night as a massive Category 4 hurricane -- the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the Big Bend on record.
The storm surge, wind damage and inland flooding from Helene has been catastrophic, impacting Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. Dozens have been killed and millions are still without power.
The remnants of Helene continue to bring rain to areas like Nashville, Paducah, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Detroit.
There are no new flood watches in effect and the overall flood threat is low.
There are still flood warnings in effect for multiple counties across parts of western North Carolina, eastern Kentucky, and western Virginia.
Latest headlines:
Swift water rescues ongoing in North Carolina
Swift water rescues are ongoing in Buncombe County, North Carolina, which encompasses Asheville, officials said.
Water rescue teams have conducted more than 130 missions so far, county emergency services director Taylor Jones said. Many roads in the area are impassable and major rivers remain at flood stage, Jones said.
"We are in the midst of the most significant natural disaster in our community," county manager Avril Pinder said.
Pinder urged residents to remain patient as crews work to restore cell service and power, and she asked people to avoid non-emergency calls to 911.
"Our dispatchers are overwhelmed with life-safety emergencies," Pinder said.
-ABC News’ Jason Volack
Biden 'deeply saddened' by deaths and destruction from Helene
President Joe Biden said in a statement that he is "deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation" caused by Hurricane Helene.
"As the storm continues to track north, Vice President [Kamala] Harris and I remain focused on life-saving and life-sustaining response and recovery efforts," Biden said.
He also said that he will be with affected Americans "every step of the way" during recovery efforts.
"We will make certain that no resource is spared to ensure that families, businesses, schools, hospitals, and entire communities can quickly begin their road to rebuilding," Biden said.
-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart
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.
Death toll rises to 52
At least 52 people have died from Hurricane Helene, according to The Associated Press. Fatalities were confirmed in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.
In Georgia, the 17 victims killed include Leon Davis, an assistant fire chief from Blackshear, who died when a tree fell on his car while he was responding to a call, officials said. Also killed in Georgia was a 27-year-old mother and her 1-month-old twin boys, who died when a tree fell on their home in Washington County, officials said.
In Florida, the death toll has climbed to 11, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Saturday.
At least 17 were killed in South Carolina, including two firefighters in Saluda County, Gov. Henry McMaster said.