11 dead in Georgia after Helene, cleanup efforts follow widespread flooding | Live updates

ATLANTA — Helene arrived in metro Atlanta as a tropical storm Friday morning and brought with it widespread flooding, inundating Buckhead and inner suburbs along the Chatahoochee River.

RELATED: ‘Turn around, don’t drown’: Video shows Cobb Fire personnel make rescue of woman from flooded car

Hurricane Helene moved into Georgia after midnight and, around 5 a.m., was downgraded to a tropical storm. It has battered south and central Georgia and roughly 1 million customers in the state are without power, according to figures from Georgia Power and Georgia EMC. 

Across the state, 11 people have died, Gov. Brian Kemp said.

The storm caused significant issues mainly with flooding. Waterways across the region have flood warnings in place, and residents at apartment complexes in Atlanta and in Buckhead neighborhoods needed water rescues.

Also Friday morning, Gov. Brian Kemp authorized the deployment of 1,000 Georgia National Guard troops — in addition to 250 already deployed — to aid in Helene recovery efforts.

Many Georgia schools had already canceled classes for Friday; here’s our current list: Georgia school closings for Hurricane Helene

To track Helene live, click here for an interactive radar

12:35 p.m. | The City of Atlanta is opening recovery centers at C.T. Martin Recreation Center and MLK Recreation Center:

12:30 p.m. | Flooding at Betty Young Park in Atlanta:

12:28 p.m. | Badly damaged road in Clayton County:

12:15 p.m. | Not quite our area, but this scary situation is unfolding south of Asheville:

12:04 p.m. | Governor warns about continuing potential for trees falling and the danger that comes with that, saying a tree fell at the Governor’s Mansion after he’d left this morning.

11:57 a.m. | South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta is without power, after an outage and then a tree fell on the facility’s emergency generator.

11:55 a.m. | Gov. Kemp says there will be a water release at Lake Rabun, and people who live downstream are being evacuated.

“If they don’t leave, they should know they’re gonna be stuck there for at least a day or multiple hours,” Kemp said.

11:53 a.m. | The governor also said there are multiple structures around the state where people are trapped and rescuers are trying to reach them.

Kemp said in Valdosta they’ve identified 115 structures that are heavily damaged where there are multiple people trapped inside.

11:50 a.m. | Gov. Kemp says there have been 11 confirmed fatalities in Georgia.

The governor also said this morning there were wind gusts of over 90 mph in south Georgia, including one 100 mph wind gust in Bacon County.

11:46 a.m. | Gov. Kemp now speaking.

11:32 a.m. | MARTA notes its services are up and running.

11:00 a.m. | Gov. Brian Kemp is expected to address the news media sometime in the next half hour.

10:45 a.m. | We have video of a water rescue that Atlanta first responders undertook at Bohler Road in the Peachtree Battle area.

10:35 a.m. | The 11Alive Weather Impact Team now reports that the rain has largely ended and winds are calming as Helene leaves us behind.

Click here to see the forecast for what comes next.

10:05 a.m. | Georgia Power CEO Kim Greene spoke in the press conference and touched on when power might be restored. She said they “want to get your power back on just as safely and quickly as possible” and noted that they hope soon to be able to start publishing estimated restoration times for outages.

But, she said, it’s still a “little bit too early for that, still out trying to work and assess the damage.”

9:53 a.m. | Mayor Dickens asks people to stay off the road as the city is still under a flash flood emergency til 1 p.m. He notes emergency vehicles need clear roads in the cleanup response.

9:52 a.m. | The mayor says Atlanta Fire Rescue Department performed about 20 rescues overnight, involving families, pets, people trapped with cars or at apartments.

9:45 a.m. | Mayor Andre Dickens is now delivering remarks.

9:05 a.m. | Clayton County Police report that a tree fell in front of an officer’s cruiser while he was traveling home, “completely destroying it.”

Thankfully Officer Soumah only sustained minor injuries and was taken to a hospital for evaluation.

“It’s truly a blessing that he wasn’t driving faster, as the tree could have landed directly on the cab. We are relieved that Officer Soumah is doing well and extend our gratitude for his dedicated service to the citizens of Clayton County,” a post said.

9:00 a.m. | Another alert has gone to phones in Fulton County to notify people that the high wind threat has ended.

9:00 a.m. | Video of some of the flooding in Atlanta:

8:45 a.m. | According to GDOT, flooding reportedly has the westbound direction of Camp Creek Parkway closed where it leads into the I-285 entrance.

8:40 a.m. | Remarkable video of a water rescue in Mableton:

8:35 a.m. | Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens will speak about Helene and the city’s response at 9:30 a.m.

8:30 a.m. | 11Alive’s sister station in Macon, WMAZ, reports two people confirmed dead in Laurens County bringing the total in central Georgia to four. Earlier in the morning WMAZ reported on the deaths of two people from a possible tornado in Wheeler County. Additionally, the Blackshear Times in Pierce County reported the death of a firefighter.

8:20 a.m. | Power situation now showing north of 1.1 million customers in Georgia under an outage between Georgia Power and Georgia EMC. 

8:05 a.m. | Latest look at radar with the center of the storm passing over Athens and straddling the South Carolina border.

7:45 a.m. | Gov. Kemp has issued an executive order authorizing 1,000 more Georgia National Guard troops to assist in recover efforts.

7:28 a.m. | Emergency alert now goes out to phones in Fulton County warning of the high winds.

7:25 a.m. | View of the flooding at Bohler Road:

7:15 a.m. | Flash flood emergency for Atlanta, south Fulton County, DeKalb, Clayton and elsewhere until 1 p.m.:

6:45 a.m. | If you just got that flash flood warning that went to phones as an emergency alert, that is continuing from through the night and now extended to 12:45 p.m.

6:40 a.m. | More than 627,000 people are without power statewide, according to a Georgia Power map, and Georgia EMC reports more than 380,000 without power — nearly a million customers across the state.

Here are some of the notable metro Atlanta/north Georgia county totals via Georgia Power:

• DeKalb County: 16,019
• Fulton County: 8,321
• Gwinnett County: 7,227
• Rabun County: 6,239
• Hall County: 4,734
• Clarke County: 4,614
• Jackson County: 3,384
• Morgan County: 2,236
• Greene County: 2,102
• Bartow County: 1,784
• Clayton County: 1,780
• Habersham County: 1,352
• Cobb County: 1,176
• Oconee County: 1,039

6:30 a.m. | With the center of the storm moving up toward Athens now, we’ll soon start seeing some of the stronger winds we’ve been expecting.

6:20 a.m. | At this time Cobb County reports 23 trees down in roadways, seven flooded roadways, five traffic lights out and flood warnings for Noonday Creek, Nickajack Creek. Allatoona Creek and the Chattahoochee River.

The county also says there are several cars reported underwater on Woodland Brook Drive in Vinings, but no injuries.

6:10 a.m. | Another new flood warning in Cobb, this one for the Chattahoochee River below Morgan Falls Dam also affecting Fulton County. Also one for Big Haynes Creek at Lenora Road near Snellville in Gwinnett.

6:10 a.m. | Stay prepared as you wake up this morning as we’re looking at strongest wind gusts through or a little past 7 a.m. And then we’ll continue to see gusts into the early afternoon.

5:55 a.m. | NWS with a caution for northwest Georgia folks:

Northwest Georgia: conditions may have seemed “quiet” overnight, but there is concern for bands of heavy rainfall setting up and dumping 2-4 inches (on top of rain that’s already fallen) and leading to localized flash flooding through mid- to late morning. #gawx

5:45 a.m. | Flash flood warning until 11:30 a.m. for an area east of Atlanta, including Fayette and south Fulton counties all the way up through Douglas, Cobb, Paulding, Cherokee, Bartow, and on past Calhoun.

5:40 a.m. | Atlanta Fire Rescue reports they’ve rescued 25 civilians so far in the Peachtree Battle area of Buckhead due to flooding at Peachtree Creek.

AFR says they currently have MARTA buses for civilians to shelter in.

5:35 a.m. | Here’s another look at the flooding at Nancy Creek:

5:30 a.m. | 11Alive’s Cody Alcorn giving a look at Piedmont Road for a waterway that is usually nowhere near this swollen:

5:15 a.m. | More flood warnings in Cobb, for Noonday Creek near Marietta and Nickajack Creek near Mableton.

5:05 a.m. | Flash flood warning continues through 7:15 a.m. for a zone stretching from Thomaston up through Atlanta and north to Milton.

5:00 a.m. | More from the latest National Hurricane Center advisory on Helene:

• About 40 miles east of Macon and 100 miles southeast now of Atlanta, in the area of Wilkinson County
• Maximum sustained winds of 70 mph
• Moving north at 30 mph, likely to impact Athens area most directly
• That fast-moving northward speed, the NHC says, “will allow strong, damaging winds, especially in gusts, to penetrate well inland across the southeastern United States, including over the higher terrain of the southern Appalachians.”

4:55 a.m. | Helene has weakened to a tropical storm as it makes its way toward north Georgia:

4:50 a.m. | Flood warning issued for Allatoona Creek at Stilesboro Road near Acworth. 

4:25 a.m. | Status update on Helene: 

• About 40 miles southeast of Macon in the 4 a.m. advisory update
• Still producing hurricane-force winds — maximum sustained winds of 75 mph, moving north at 30 mph
• It looks like it will be east of Atlanta and close to our region, potentially around Athens, sometime in the 5 a.m. hour
• 11Alive Meteorologist Nicole Hartford is projecting things will begin to calm down in our area around 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. later in the morning.

4:20 a.m. | Flood warning issued for Sope Creek near Marietta.

4:00 a.m. | Multiple residents were rescued from flooding at a Buckhead apartment complex. Read details here:

RELATED: Numerous residents rescued from Buckhead apartment complex after major flooding from Helene

3:16 a.m. | A flood warning was issued for Woodall Creek at Defoors Ferry Road in Atlanta.

3:15 a.m. | Here are a couple photos our photojournalist Stephen Boissy has sent along from Peachtree Creek:

3:05 a.m. | The flash flood warning for this zone has been extended through 5:15 a.m.

2:42 a.m. | A wireless emergency alert to evacuate has been sent to Sandy Springs residents along Nancy Creek, Fulton EMA said. 

2:11 a.m. | 11Alive’s Chief Meteorologist Chris Holcomb said a new advisory has come in stating that Helene is now a Category 1 Hurricane. 

2:08 a.m. | Gov. Brian Kemp sent his condolences on X after learning about the loss of two lives in Wheeler County. 

“As we join their families in mourning their deaths, we urge all Georgians to brace for further impact from Helene, remain vigilant and pray for all those affected,” Kemp wrote. 

2:00 a.m. | The City of Alpharetta is asking people not to call 911 to report trees that have fallen in roadways or on powerlines. Instead, use the online SeeClickFix reporting tool by clicking here.

1:53 a.m. | A woman was hurt in Griffin after her roof caved in, police said. According to Griffin Police, shortly after 11 p.m. on Thursday, law enforcement was called to the 400 block of Hammond Drive in reference to a structure cave-in due to a fallen tree.

 Neighbors were alerted to a loud noise and heard calls for help coming from the residents. When first responders arrived, they were able to enter the home that had a collapsed roof. The woman was extricated from the house and taken to the hospital. She is reported to be in stable condition, police said. The City of Griffin is asking everyone to continue to exercise caution. 

1:43 a.m. | 11Alive’s Chief Meteorologist Chris Holcomb describes where the impacts of Hurricane Helene in Georgia will be felt. 

1:29 a.m. | Clayton County Emergency Management Agency said that there is significant flooding and roads are blocked off on Upper Riverdale Road near Southern Regional. 

1:01 a.m. | Sandy Springs officials said that a large tree is blocking all lanes on Riverside Drive near River North Lane. 

12:45 a.m. | Peachtree Creek in Atlanta near the intersection of Sagamore, Woodward Way and Highway 41 is at 20 feet now, 11Alive’s Meteorologist Mellisa Nord said. Evacuations may end up being needed. 

12:37 a.m. | 11Alive continues to track Hurricane Helen’s path as it made landfall in Florida. 

12:35 a.m. | Flood warning from 1:15 a.m. to 9 a.m. for Fulton County, NWS said. 

12:06 a.m. | Sandy Springs officials said the Windsor Parkway Bridge over Nancy Creek between Northland and Peachtree Dunwoody is closed due to flooding. Officials said to please not attempt to drive around the barricades. 

12:11 a.m. | Just after midnight, outages are continuing to tick up in Georgia — with just shy of 70k Georgia Power customers without electricity. The numbers are expected to increase as Helene pushes into the state. 

11:44 p.m. | According to Fulton County Emergency Management, there are ongoing evacuations along Nancy Creek in Sandy Springs. 

11:36 p.m. | Flash flood warning issued for Fulton County until 5:30 a.m. A flood warning is from 11:34 p.m. until further notice. There’s also a warning in Cobb County, including Marietta, Smyrna and Mableton, until 5:30 a.m., according to NWS Atlanta. 

11:23 p.m. | Helene makes landfall along Florida’s Big Bend as a Category 4 Hurricane, according to the NWS. 

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