Tallahassee narrowly escaped the worst of Hurricane Helene, missing its most intense winds by a hair. The Category 4 hurricane smashed into the Big Bend area on Thursday night, causing widespread destruction and leaving thousands without electricity. The counties hit hardest include Taylor, Dixie, Suwannee, and Madison, which are completely without power, according to USA TODAY’s outage tracker. Meanwhile, Jefferson and Wakulla counties faced significant damage, with many residents evacuating during the night. The impact of the hurricane has also affected nearby areas, including Perry Florida, where residents are dealing with power outages and storm-related damage.
As of 7:41 a.m., Tallahassee’s power outage map showed 883 outages affecting over 52,000 customers. Talquin Electric reported 17,080 outages in Leon County, which accounted for about 66% of its customers. The storm’s impact stretched far beyond these areas, affecting infrastructure and utility services across multiple counties, including Perry Florida, which experienced similar disruptions.
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On Friday morning, the full scope of destruction in the Big Bend area began to reveal itself. Floodwaters in St. Marks—a small community about 20 miles south of Tallahassee—rose to the steps of the U.S. Post Office building. Numerous roads were blocked by snapped trees, forcing emergency workers to navigate around debris along U.S. Highway 98. Sheriff deputies maintained watch for safety and potential looting as recovery efforts began. The aftermath of the hurricane reached even further into the interior regions, such as Perry, Florida, where emergency crews were mobilized to restore services and assist affected residents.
Some locals had planned to take refuge in their homes or aboard fishing boats, but they were not reachable on Friday morning. Fortunately, cellphone service in the region remained operational, offering a lifeline to those in need of assistance. By early Friday morning, water levels in St. Marks had started to recede, signaling the beginning of the recovery process. In other nearby communities like Perry Florida, similar efforts are underway as residents work to restore normalcy after the storm’s departure.
