Hurricane Helene claims 40 lives as rescuers race to free those trapped by storm

North Carolina: Hurricane Helene left an enormous path of destruction across Florida and the southeastern U.S. on Friday, killing at least 40 people in four states.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center has downgraded Helene from a tropical depression to a post-tropical cyclone.

Helene, a Category 4 hurricane when it made landfall in Florida late Thursday night, was 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of Louisville, Kentucky, at about 5 p.m. EDT. It was moving northwest at 17 mph (28 kph), according to the hurricane center.

The storm was expected to continue producing heavy rain in the area and cause severe flash-flooding as a result. Isolated tornadoes Friday evening were possible in Virginia and North Carolina, the hurricane center said.

The death toll from Hurricane Helene in South Carolina is 19 people, with many of the deaths happening from falling trees as the storm moved through early Friday, authorities said.

Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday urged residents impacted by Hurricane Helene to pay heed to local authorities as the storm continues to wreak havoc on a significant swath of the southeast. (AP)