CRAWFORDVILLE, Fla. – As Hurricane Helene weakened to a tropical storm over Georgia early Friday, the National Hurricane Center reported maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 kph).

Moving farther inland over Georgia, Helene continues to lose strength. Located about 40 miles east of Macon and 100 miles southeast of Atlanta, the storm is moving north at 30 mph at 5 a.m., according to the center in Miami.

The storm made a destructive landfall in northwestern Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, prompting fears of a “nightmare” storm surge and hazardous winds and rain across the southeastern U.S. At least three storm-related deaths have been reported.

After hitting the Florida Gulf Coast, Helene’s eye passed near Valdosta, Georgia, as it rapidly moved northward. An extreme wind warning was issued for the area, with the possibility of hurricane-force winds exceeding 115 mph.

In Valdosta, residents huddled in a darkened hotel lobby after midnight, seeking shelter from the intense winds and rain. Fermin Herrera, along with his wife and infant daughter, evacuated their top-floor room to avoid potential dangers from falling trees.

Helene is the third major storm to strike the city in just over a year, following Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricane Idalia. The region has faced significant challenges, but residents like Herrera have learned to adapt and survive.

The impact of Hurricane Helene extends beyond Florida, with hurricane and flash flood warnings spreading to northern Georgia and western North Carolina. More than a million homes and businesses are without power in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas.