Thousands of residents along the Tampa Bay area’s beachside communities were told to leave Wednesday morning as Hurricane Helene threatened potentially record-breaking surge of more than five feet. Those who defied the orders, from St. Pete Beach north to Redington Shores, told the Tampa Bay Times it’s a decision they quickly regretted.

Five people died in Pinellas County during the impact of Hurricane Helene, according to Cathie Perkins, emergency management director. It’s one of the many ways that Helene brought “life-changing impacts” as storm surge reached over 8 feet in some areas,

Tampa Bay area of Florida, particularly St. Petersburg, was hit hard by Hurricane Helene, which made landfall as a Category 4 storm Sept. 26, 2024.

Long before its landfall late Thursday, Hurricane Helene and its intense wind and rain were already threatening millions of people in four states.

"The water was coming through the vents, through the air-conditioning ducts, every which way you can imagine."

Emergency crews are racing to rescue people trapped in flooded homes after the massive storm hit Florida as a Category 4 hurricane.

Helene roared ashore Florida's Big Bend region as one of the most powerful storms to hit the United States, with officials fearing the hurricane would leave a trail of deaths and widespread destruction as it moved inland.

Record-setting storm surge and damage from high winds have caused significant damage across Florida’s Gulf Coast, from Tampa Bay northward.