Apocalyptic chaos has engulfed the South as millions of people lose power, desperate families line up at gas stations, and roving mobs steal generators.
The southeastern United States has been plunged into crisis as the aftermath of Hurricane Helene continues to wreak havoc across several states.
The storm has left a trail of destruction in its wake and the death toll has risen to 64.
As of Saturday, a staggering 2.5 million customers in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Virginia remained without power, according to PowerOutage.us.
Power outages have led to scenes of chaos, with desperate families queuing outside service stations and reports emerging of roving mobs stealing generators.
The southeastern United States has been plunged into crisis as the aftermath of Hurricane Helene continues to wreak havoc across several states.
Residents line up to buy gas at Sam’s Club after Hurricane Helene on Sunday.
Power outages have led to scenes of chaos, with desperate families lining up outside gas stations and reports emerging of roving mobs stealing generators.
In Augusta, Georgia, shocking video footage shared on social media shows lines of cars stretching for miles as residents desperately wait to fill their tanks.
On Saturday, lines for gas were miles long, one social media user wrote in a caption.
The situation has deteriorated since then, with the same user reporting that as of Sunday Kroger was closed and there was no more food or gas left.
On top of that, power is not expected to return until October 5th.
Other photos circulating on social media show shocking images of the devastation, with downed power lines and fallen trees blocking roads and crushing vehicles.
People line up at Dollar General after Hurricane Helene
As of Saturday, a staggering 2.5 million customers in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Virginia remained without power, according to PowerOutage.us.
On Saturday, lines for gas were miles long, one social media user wrote in a caption.
In Augusta, Georgia, shocking video footage shared on social media shows lines of cars stretching for miles as residents desperately wait to fill their tanks.
Social media users shared photographs showing the aftermath of the storm
A road is seen damaged by flooding after Hurricane Helene
Fallen trees after the storm
The storm has left a trail of destruction in its wake and the death toll rises to 64
As of Saturday, a staggering 2.5 million customers in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Virginia remained without power, according to PowerOutage.us.
Other photos circulating on social media show shocking images of the devastation, with downed power lines and fallen trees blocking roads and crushing vehicles.
Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm Thursday night, battering Florida’s Big Bend region with 140 mph (225 kph) winds.
The storm’s destructive path continued through Georgia, where Gov. Brian Kemp surveyed the damage from the air on Saturday.
“What it looks like from the air is like a tornado went off, like a bomb went off,” Kemp told reporters in Valdosta. “And it’s not just here, it looks like this from here to Augusta.”
“It’s certainly going to be several days of blackouts,” Georgia Power Co. CEO Kim Greene said.
As the weakened storm moved north, it unleashed torrential rains in the Carolinas and Tennessee, causing widespread flooding and mudslides.
Coach Tom Goossens of Shady Hills, Florida, takes a portrait in front of the mutual aid site hosted by Shady Hills Little League in the town of Hudson.
Residents feed people at the mutual aid site hosted by Shady Hills Little League in the town of Hudson.
As the weakened storm moved north, it unleashed torrential rains in the Carolinas and Tennessee, causing widespread flooding and mudslides.
Flooding and damage from storm that began as Hurricane Helene covering streets in Erwin, Tennessee
Western North Carolina was isolated when highways, including Interstate 40, were forced to close
Western North Carolina was isolated as highways, including Interstate 40, were forced to close.
The flooding led to dramatic rescue operations, including the helicopter evacuation of dozens of patients and staff from the rooftop of a hospital in rural Unicoi County, eastern Tennessee.
Rescue efforts continued into Saturday in Buncombe County, North Carolina, where parts of Asheville were submerged.
“It’s not that we weren’t prepared, but this is going to another level,” Sheriff Quentin Miller said. “To say this took us by surprise would be an understatement.”
