"You have these 140 mph winds hitting here in north Florida, this is going to extend," said Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). "You're gonna have hurricane-force winds that are gonna extend across a couple counties to the east and west."

The storm prompted a rare extreme wind warning with forecasters calling it "exceptionally dangerous and life-threatening."

In Fort Myers Beach, marine deputies waded through floodwaters and used boats to rescue people. And in Tampa, roads turned into rivers.

There are also reports of electrical transformers exploding. More than a million homes and businesses are without power.

"This storm is raging," said one local resident. "I have got flooding so bad you cannot even imagine."

Near St. Petersburg, the lobby of a hotel is completely underwater. And the storm turned deadly after a sign fell onto the vehicle of a car on Interstate 4, killing the driver. Two other deaths were reported in Georgia.

Homes and businesses were boarded up as the storm approached with many residents heeding mandatory evacuation orders.

"This one here's got me a little bit more nervous than the others," said Kenneth Griswold. "I mean, for the extent of how wide and vast it is. I mean, it's not a little small storm like the others we've had here recently."

Some decided to ride out the storm.

"It's the worst storm I've ever been in my whole life," said Michael Bobbitt of Cedar Key. "And right now, it feels like the whole island is coming apart. The storm surge is closing in on three sides. Several of our streets are impassible. There are trees down everywhere. The wind sounds like a freight train outside right now."

Those who defied mandatory evacuation orders were asked to write their name, birth date and other information on their arms or legs so they can be identified.

Faced with potentially serious damage and life-threatening conditions, residents have been frustrated with having to deal with yet another hurricane.

"It's like a bad dream over and over," said northwest Florida resident Philip Lambert. "As soon as you get cleaned up from one storm, six months later you get hit again, or eight months later you get hit again."

Last summer Hurricane Idalia brought about nine feet of storm surge in the same region where Helene hit, leaving most homes under water. Forecasters had warned this storm could deliver catastrophic storm surge of some twenty feet.

CBN's Operation Blessing arrived ahead of the storm in Mariana, Florida.

"We are looking at anywhere between five and twenty foot of storm surge. Just to give you an idea - 20 foot of storm surge looks like a 2-story house completely submerged under water," said Steffany Horton, Operation Blessing Deployment Manager.

Operation Blessing was already in place to meet the physical and spiritual of needs of those impacted by Helene.

"We have actually brought our mobile kitchen with us so that as soon as the storm passes we can start evaluating the area and seeing if there's a need that arises for feeding operations," Horton told CBN News.

Operation Blessing is also prepared with other essential supplies such as chainsaws, shovels, and coolers to assist residents with cleanup and recovery after the storm.

"Just meeting them where they're at just like Jesus would ask us to do. So, we are very committed to be able to do that with others and to show and spread not only the light and the Gospel but the love that we have deep in our hearts," said Horton. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

Charlene Aaron serves as a general assignment reporter, news anchor, co-host of The 700 Club, co-host of 700 Club Interactive, and co-host of The Prayerlink on the CBN News Channel.

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Why the New RomCom ‘MERV’ Can Bring You Joy This Christmas

How the 'Heavens Declare the Glory of God': What One Man's Research Has Revealed about The Star of Bethlehem

Over 50 Tren de Aragua Gang Members Imported Under Democrats Indicted in Nebraska in Massive Nationwide ATM Jackpotting Scheme

205 Child Victims Located and Rescued in DOJ Sex Exploitation Op

Trump Admin Pausing All Off Shore Wind Project Construction Due To National Security Concerns

Trump Grants Federal Workers Two Additional Christmas Holidays

America Fest 2025: Erika Kirk Endorses 'My Husband's Friend' JD Vance for President

Brent Bozell Confirmed as US Ambassador to South Africa

Jury Quickly Convicts Judge Who Helped Illegal Migrant Escape ICE

Feds Estimate Somali-Linked Fraud in Walz's Minnesota Could Top $9 Billion

Trump SUSPENDS 'Green Card Lottery' after Program Let Brown University–MIT Shooting Suspect Enter the US

Brown, MIT Shooter Found Dead for Days in NH Storage Unit; Motive Still a Mystery

House Passes Bill to Criminalize Transgender Mutilation of Children

November Inflation Falls to 2.7%, Lower than Expected: 'This Is Good News for Wall Street; It’s Good News for Main Street'

MOVIEGUIDE's Review of the New Animated Film: DAVID

Massachusetts Drops Controversial Gender Ideology Mandate for Licensing Foster Care Parents

Nearly 40% of Women Suffer Severe Grief for Years after Abortion, Miscarriage: Study

Former Pfizer Vice President: COVID Shots Were 'Designed to Cause Injury,' Reduce Fertility

Dutch Sheets Shares a Warning from the US National Counterterrorism Center

Venezuela: Trump's Pressure Campaign and Maduro's Fury