Hurricane Helene: 'Everywhere I look, devastation' - Floridians reel from storm

"Everyone was screaming," says Briana Gagnier, who describes rescuing elderly neighbours as flames engulfed their home.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatchHomeNewsUS ElectionSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifyUS ElectionElection pollsKamala HarrisDonald TrumpJD VanceTim WalzSportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessWomen at the HelmFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsUS ElectionSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewsletters'I swam out of my home' - Floridians reel from HeleneWatch: Sailor and his dog rescued by coast guard during Hurricane HeleneA wall of seawater from the deadly Hurricane Helene forced Briana Gagnier and her family to swim out of their home on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Ms Gagnier, who lives in Holmes Beach north of Sarasota, had stayed behind with her family to protect their one-storey property.

She placed sandbags at every door and moved belongings on to tall furniture to keep them dry. She even used towels in a vain effort to stem the storm surge.

Then came a loud bang.

Their garage door broke open violently - caving in to the deluge. Water quickly rose to their shoulders, forcing them to escape.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crm2k04m2gxo

---