Hurricane Helene. The St. Pete Pier, Tampa Bay, Florida, hours before Hurricane Helene made landfall, September 26, 2024. Hurricane Helene slammed into Florida’s Big Bend region late Thursday, bringing catastrophic storm surges which have destoyed buildings. Martha Asencio-Rhine Tampa Bay Times

Although it is too early to know the full extent of Helene’s damage, experts said the storm could have major consequences for homeowners, the private insurance industry and the federal flood insurance program.

Heavy rainfall and severe flooding are hammering inland communities across the Southeast. Hurricane Helene crashed ashore late Thursday night in the Florida Panhandle as one of the strongest hurricane landfalls in American history.