More than 1M customers without power after Hurricane Helene swept Georgia

ATLANTA - Hurricane Helene has claimed at least 15 lives in Georgia and caused widespread devastation, including severe flooding in metro Atlanta. Thousands of people are without power, and many were forced to evacuate their homes as floodwaters rose quickly.

In the aftermath of the storm, Atlanta Fire Rescue teams conducted about 20 swift water rescues, saving people trapped in their cars and apartments. Rescuers used boats to bring those stranded by floodwaters to safety. No serious injuries were reported, but many residents had to leave behind belongings as they rushed to escape.

Storm knocks out power to 1 million customers

Statewide, more than 1 million people were without power shortly before noon, with Georgia Power working around the clock to restore electricity. The company has deployed thousands of workers to address the outages but warned that damage could increase due to saturated ground and falling trees.

"We had two storms," said Kim Greene, CEO of Georgia Power. "The hurricane caused tremendous damage, and all that rain has led to saturated ground, causing trees to fall. We expect the number of outages to rise as we continue to assess the damage."

Across metro Atlanta, power outages are widespread. Approximately 80,000 homes and businesses are without electricity in Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, and Cobb counties. DeKalb County is experiencing the worst of the outages, with 12% of homes in the dark, while 6% of Fulton County residents are without power. In south Georgia, entire counties are without electricity, with outages affecting a quarter of the homes in the state.

"We want to get your power back on as safely and quickly as possible," said Kim Greene, CEO of Georgia Power, during a press conference Friday morning with the mayor. She emphasized that while crews are working diligently to restore power, the danger is not yet over. "All of that rain is leading to very saturated ground, and trees will continue to fall," Greene added.

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One of the hardest-hit areas was DeKalb County, where nearly 50,000 people lost power, including residents like Thomas Thompson and his neighbor Johnny Simmons. "She woke up and said, 'Hey, the power is out!' I tried to sleep through it," said Thompson.

Simmons shared his preparedness for such events: "We went and got flashlights and batteries and got plenty of candles. Been through it before."

Despite the widespread outages, some businesses remained open. Pete Young, a local barbershop owner, continued to operate using car headlights to provide fresh cuts. "We are open seven days a week, even during a hurricane," Young said. "Right now, we are doing what we can, trying to get as much light as we can, and keep the door open to our clients."

In southwest Atlanta, residents Barry Russell and Denise White watched crews repair downed power lines caused by a fallen tree. "I think Georgia Power got on the ball. The city came and cut the tree down. The biggest issue was the neighbor’s rotted tree, or we wouldn’t have had that problem," Russell noted.

Simmons expressed gratitude amidst the hardship: "I did a lot of praying, not just for my family and friends, but for the entire neighborhood and community."

Georgia Power crews are working to assess the damage and restore power as quickly as possible.

Johnny Simmons, a resident of DeKalb County, said he was prepared for the storm. "I was up all night with the rain and the wind. We got our flashlights, batteries, and plenty of candles. We've been through this before."

Officials are reminding residents to stay clear of downed trees and power lines, which may still be live. "If you see a tree down or a power line, assume it's live and report it to Georgia Power," officials said.

State of Emergency declared for City of Atlanta

After a press conference on Friday morning, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens issued a State of Emergency for the City of Atlanta.

Click here to read the declaration.

"Due to the devastating impacts of Tropical Storm Helena, including significant flooding and power outages, I am declaring a State of Emergency for the City of Atlanta, effective immediately. This declaration will allow us to access vital federal and state resources to expedite our recovery efforts and ensure the safety and well-being of all Atlanta residents," Mayor Andre Dickens said. 

Flooded roads and swollen creeks remain a danger, and residents are urged to avoid traveling unless absolutely necessary. Crews are working to restore power and clear debris, but the recovery is expected to take time.