Brian Kemp has just given a Storm Helene update - and, as part of that, reports more deaths.

There are now 11 known fatalities in Georgia, Kemp says, including a first responder.

He also says more than 150 roads have been closed across the state and that 1,300 traffic signals are out.

Kemp describes Helene as "deadly", says dozens of homes have been damaged and warns some people are still trapped in some buildings.

• This latest update means at least 15 people in total are known to have died as a result of Storm Helene - which continues to push north.

Earlier we told you about an ocean rescue, involving a man and his dog who were sailing 25 miles (40km) off the coast of Sanibel Island, Florida.

Now footage has emerged of them being winched to safety after getting into difficulty - you can watch that below.

Both man and dog are said to be in good medical condition.

We've just reported two deaths in North Carolina, confirmed by the state's governor Roy Cooper. And across the US south, reports of fatalities in the wake of Hurricane Helene are growing.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says two people have died in his state.

Meanwhile in Georgia, where residents are facing life threatening flash floods, at least two people have died in Wheeler County.

Four others have been reported dead by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and other local media outlets, which we're looking to confirm.

We've just been listening to an update from North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, who says Helene continues to be a threat in the state despite rainfall having stopped in some areas.

"Our hearts are heavy as we report two deaths," he says, before giving further details.

One occurred during a motor vehicle collision, he says, and another when a tree fell on a home in Charlotte.

More than 100 swift-water rescues have taken place since Helene landed in the state, Cooper adds.

• We'll bring you an updated Storm Helene death toll - which officials have warned is likely to grow as rescue operations continue - shortly.

Image source, Reuters

Back in Georgia, an Atlanta resident has been describing seeing a creek next to her home overflowing earlier - and the fear she had that her apartment would overflow.

Standing in front of some of her neighbours' vehicles, submerged in water, Alese McGhee tells Reuters news agency: “You know I just didn’t expect this to happen, like, living over here."

"It wasn’t something that came across my mind. This is so crazy," she goes on.

"And I feel so bad for the people’s cars that are underwater. I’m like oh my gosh. Ugh. I don’t know what I would do."

While Storm Helene rolls north, leaving Florida to deal with some of its aftermath, we can bring you footage from overnight that shows what emergency responders were dealing with.

In the video, a team's seen approaching a house on fire in South Pasadena during water rescue efforts.

We've reached out to city authorities for an update on the blaze - and will let you know when we hear back.

Image source, Getty Images

Brian Kemp has issued an executive order authorising 1,000 more Georgia Guard troops to assist with efforts in the wake of Storm Helene.

"As we continue to assess Helene’s impact throughout Georgia, our hardworking response teams across the state are tending to casualties, widespread power outages, property damage, and flooding," he writes in a post on X.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said earlier that tropical storm conditions are still occurring along much of the Georgia coast, extending north up into South Carolina.

These conditions are expected to continue for "several hours", it added.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has announced a flash flood warning in central Georgia, including Atlanta and the surrounding area.

More than a million residents are at risk, it warns, with 246 schools and 23 hospitals in the area.

Helene crossed into Georgia early on Friday morning, with wind speeds of 110mph (177 km/h). Two people have already died in the state.

The NWS has also issued a storm surge warning from Altamaha Sound in the south of Georgia to Little River Inlet, at the northern edge of South Carolina.

Helene is expected to turn north-west later today, slowing down over the Tennessee Valley on Friday, into Saturday.

We're beginning to see images of some of the damage caused overnight by Helene in Florida, where the storm made landfall.

Take a look:

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Sam Hancock
Live page editor, in Washington DC

It's been a treacherous night for anyone living along the path of Helene, with one person killed in Tampa, Florida and two more in Wheeler County, Georgia.

Now classed as a tropical storm, down from a category four hurricane, the US National Hurricane Center warns Helene continues to bring "life-threatening" conditions, with storm surge warnings in place.

BBC Weather's Sarah Keith-Lucas says the most destructive feature of the storm will now be intense rainfall as it moves inland and pushes north-eastwards through Georgia, Tennessee and into Kentucky. Up to 20 inches (508mm) is possible in places, which may lead to catastrophic flash flooding, she adds.

As we in DC take over editing this live coverage from our colleagues in London, we're continuing to speak to people on the ground and will bring you their reaction, as well as analysis and explainers.

Hurricane Helene, which has now weakened to a tropical storm, has left more than 3 million people in the US without power, figures show.

PowerOutage.us, external has the number of people in each state without power as shown below:

• Florida - 1.1 million
• South Carolina - 1.1 million
• Georgia - More than 1 million
• North Carolina - 400,000

Jules Carl, a resident of Steinhatchee in Florida, told CNN that storm Helene was "the worst I've ever seen".

Steinhatchee is a coastal community, situated on Florida's Big Bend, where Helene made landfall as a category four hurricane.

"It was bad," Carl says, describing boats floating in the streets and fish floating in front yards.

"The water came up higher than anyone in this town had seen... within a foot or two of coming inside our house," Carl adds, saying the area has been "devastated".

Image source, Getty Images

Turning again to the impact the storm is having on the ground.

And in their latest update, the National Hurricane Center says rainfall in areas across the south-east into the Southern Appalachians "will likely result in catastrophic and potentially life-threatening flash and urban flooding".

It warns of "numerous significant landslides" in steep terrain across the Southern Appalachians.

Helene is expected to produce six to 12 inches of rainfall, with isolated areas of 20 inches, the center adds.

Mark Poynting
Climate reporter

Hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones begin as atmospheric disturbances, external - such as, for example, a tropical wave, an area of low pressure where thunderstorms and clouds develop.

As warm, moist air rises from the ocean surface, winds in the storm cloud begin to spin. The process is linked to how the Earth's rotation affects winds in tropical regions just away from the equator.

For a hurricane to develop and keep spinning, the sea surface generally needs to be at least 27C to provide enough energy, and the winds need to not vary much with height.

If all these factors come together, an intense hurricane can form, although the exact causes of individual storms are complex.

Have hurricanes been getting worse?

Globally, the frequency of tropical cyclones has not increased over the past century, and in fact the number may have fallen, external - although long-term data is limited in some regions.

But it is "likely" that a higher proportion of tropical cyclones across the globe are reaching category three or above, meaning they reach the highest wind speeds, according to the UN's climate body, the IPCC, external.

The frequency and magnitude of "rapid intensification events" in the Atlantic has also likely increased, external. This is where maximum wind speeds increase very quickly, which can be especially dangerous.

• You can read more about major Atlantic hurricanes over the past century here.

Mark Poynting
Climate reporter

Hurricane Helene is the fifth hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic season, which continues until the end of November.

Hurricanes are powerful storms which develop in warm tropical ocean waters.

In other parts of the world, they are known as cyclones or typhoons. Collectively, these storms are referred to as "tropical cyclones".

Tropical cyclones are characterised by very high wind speeds, heavy rainfall, and storm surges - short-term rises to sea-levels. This often causes widespread damage and flooding.

Hurricanes can be categorised by their peak sustained wind speed.

Major hurricanes are rated category three and above, meaning they reach at least 111mph (178km/h).

Image source, Getty Images

• Helene arrived as an "extremely dangerous" category 4 hurricane in the Big Bend region of Florida at about 23:10 ET (04:10 BST) on Thursday
• The storm sustained winds of 140 mph (225 km/h) when it came ashore, according to the National Hurricane Center
• One person died in Tampa, Florida on Thursday night after a sign fell onto their car. In Pasco County, 65 people were rescued
• By 01:00 ET (06:00 BST) the storm was entering southern Georgia. It was later downgraded to a category two hurricane with winds of 110 mph (177 km/h)
• Two people were killed in Wheeler County in Georgia, after a tornado picked up and overturned a mobile home
• By 04:00 ET (09:00 BST) the hurricane was moving further into Georgia, at a speed of around 30mph (48km/h). The National Hurricane Centre said it was still a "dangerous and life-threatening situation"
• The latest update from the US National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Helene has now weakened into a tropical storm

Helene is moving through Georgia, towards Tennessee.

At least three people have died - one in Florida and two in Georgia.

The map below shows the predicted force and movement of the now tropical storm. But the heavy rain and strong winds are affecting a larger area than what's marked on the map, because of how wide the storm is.

Helene, which made landfall in Florida as a category four hurricane, has now weakened into a tropical storm as it moves more inland over the state of Georgia.

The latest update from the US National Hurricane Center says the storm was about 100 miles (165km) southeast of Atlanta, Georgia.

But there are still warnings for storm surges in coastal areas and heavy rain, meaning conditions are still life-threatening, according to the agency.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office in Florida in south-west Florida is keeping its residents up to date on social media.

It's posted photos and footage of flooding and rescue efforts on submerged roads.