Rescue crews respond to calls across Northwestern Florida as the Category 4 Hurricane Helene made landfall late Thursday night. Helene brought record-breaking storm surges to the Big Bend region that flooded neighborhoods and homes and somehow set fire to a home in at least one case.
Rescue crews in South Pasadena, Florida, a seaside city part of the Tampa Bay-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metropolitan area, shared video of the crew conducting water rescues, as their boat wadded through waist-high flooding.
The video depicts fire rescue teams shouting for anyone who can hear them. “Anyone in your house? Fire department! We’ve got a boat!” The crew seemed under-equipped to tackle the fire before them, as the footage shows a house in the middle of the neighborhood engulfed with flames, its smoky orange glow the only source of light in the entire neighborhood other than the firefighters’ flashlights. There’s no word on the cause of the fire, but hurricanes are known to cause electrical damage that can spark fires.
Another fire broke out at a home on Anna Maria Island, only miles away from the house fire in South Pasadena. A Circle K gas station in Irwin County, Georgia suffered a similar fate. No injuries were reported.
Yesterday, the NOAA issued a rare dire warning to states above Florida of severe and widespread inland flooding.
Rescue teams are currently focused on the West Coast of Florida and the Big Bend area, where flooding has ravaged neighborhoods. Officials anticipate a surge in rescue calls before the storm passes.
A search and rescue command center was established at a Hilton in Orlando, mobilizing approximately 14,000 responders from various regions to assist those affected. Orlando is a strategic location as it’s wedged between the state capital of Tallahassee and several major cities that have been directly impacted by Helene.
Pasco and Citrus counties have reported over 100 rescue calls, including several individuals and pets trapped in rising waters. Hillsborough County, which contains Tampa, reported hundreds of rescue calls as well. Hurricane Helene weakened to a tropical storm by Friday morning, but the flooding and power disruptions remain. Rescue crews will likely be responding to calls long after Helene passes.
The post Florida Rescue Crews Battle Floods and Flames as Hurricane Helene Hits appeared first on VICE.
The post Florida Rescue Crews Battle Floods and Flames as Hurricane Helene Hits appeared first on VICE.
