Hurricane Helene leaves over 4 million without power in southeastern US

Hurricane Helene struck Florida's Big Bend region on September 26, 2024, leaving over 4 million people without power across Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Officials warn that restoring electricity may take several days in some areas. Research shows that poorer communities often experience longer power outages after storms. A study found that a drop in socioeconomic status correlates with an average increase of 170 minutes in outage duration. To address these disparities, utilities and policymakers are encouraged to rethink power restoration practices and invest in infrastructure improvements in disadvantaged areas. Initiatives like resilience hubs and renewable energy projects aim to support vulnerable communities during outages.