On Thursday, September 26, Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in over 61 Florida counties. With Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Palm Beach counties placed under Tropical Storm Warning, Broward County opted to close public schools for the day. However, with STA being part of the Archdiocese of Miami, schools remained open as they follow the guidelines of Miami-Dade County.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in the United States near Perry, Florida as a monstrous category 4 storm on September 26. Helene brought storm surge reaching 15 to 20 feet in some areas, along with destructive winds of up to 140 mph. Helene continued to move north into the Southeastern U.S. where the country experienced some of the worst devastation.
According to CNN Weather, as the death toll continues to rise, the reported amount as of October 1 is 130 with 56 in North Carolina, 30 in South Carolina, 25 in Georgia, 11 in Florida, 6 in Tennessee, and 2 in Virginia. However, hundreds of people are still reported missing or are unaccounted for.
Aftermath
According to Fox Weather, Helene is now regarded as the second-deadliest hurricane to strike the mainland U.S. in the last 55 years. Asheville, North Carolina is experiencing some of the worst effects of Helene following the torrential downpour, with thousands left without power, internet, homes, and even their loved ones. Additionally, Asheville was cut off from the world following the collapse of all roads going in and out of the city. The infrastructure of states, such as North Carolina and Georgia, is not built to withstand hurricanes and such extreme weather with severe damage to water, production, and distribution systems.
