ISTANBUL

Hurricane Helene struck Florida and the southeastern US on Friday, causing widespread destruction and claiming at least 44 lives.

Among the casualties were three firefighters, a woman and her one-month-old twins, and an 89-year-old woman whose home was crushed by a falling tree.

Helene was the most powerful storm on record to hit Florida's Big Bend region, making landfall overnight on Thursday before moving north into Georgia and the Carolinas.

Insurers and financial institutions estimate that the damage could reach billions of dollars.

Although Helene has weakened considerably, forecasters warn that high winds, flooding, and the risk of tornadoes may persist in the affected areas.