PHOTOS: Damage in the Midlands as Hurricane Helene moves throughout the Midlands

Sep 27, 2024 10:45 AM EDT

ABC Columbia Staff,

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)– Columbia is experiencing heavy rain as Hurricane Helene moves across the coast which could possible lead to heavy flooding and fallen trees.

The Columbia-Richland Fire Department says those things have already started as Helene makes her way throughout the coast.

Hurricane Helene weakened to a tropical storm over Georgia with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 kph) early Friday, the National Hurricane Center said.

As of 9:15 a.m. Friday, some 3.2 million people across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee were without power, according to poweroutage.us.

Most of the outages, were in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina — each with more than 1 million outages.

According to the AP, almost 45% of homes and businesses in South Carolina are without power Friday morning.

Whole counties are without electricity as winds gusted to near hurricane force.

Fallen trees or other debris is blocking multiple areas in Columbia.

The fire department wants to remind people to avoid unnecessary travel as everyone goes into the evening and overnight hours.