Patients and staff at hospital in Erwin, Tennessee are stranded; death toll continues to rise in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas

• Multiple people killed as deadly storm hits south-eastern US

The National Hurricane Center has said Helene is now a tropical storm as it moves farther inland over Georgia. It noted that “life-threatening storm surge, winds, and heavy rains continue.”

In a 4am update, the National Hurricane Center said “Helene continues to move inland over central Georgia and is producing hurricane-force winds and heavy rainfall.”