TAYLOR COUNTY, Fla. – Hurricane Helene, which slammed into Florida’s Big Bend region Thursday night as a powerful Category 4 storm, left behind devastation in the area after strong winds and a historic storm surge swept through.
Perry and Keaton Beach in Taylor County were two of the hardest-hit areas.
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Residents and first responders there spent all day Friday cleaning up and surveying the damage.
Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett said 90% of Keaton Beach homes “are gone,” WCTV reported, but there was no word on injuries.
MORE: Rescuers race to free people trapped by Hurricane Helene after storm kills at least 40 in 4 states
Drone footage posted by NBC 6 in Miami showed an entire block of Keaton Beach houses that had been gutted by the storm.
News4JAX was in the area and saw downed power lines, roofs ripped off of buildings and motels and toppled trees in Perry. Keaton Beach was cut off to traffic, but the widespread damage was still apparent.
Residents across the area were left homeless or without power and it wasn’t clear when it would be restored.
Gov. DeSantis said the state would continue search and rescue efforts in the area throughout Friday.