Florida
Florida counties brace for impact as Helene forecast to become strong hurricane
PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Tropical Storm Helene is expected to strengthen into the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the United States in over a year sometime in the next 24 hours.
Mandatory evacuations are already underway in some Florida counties.
Helene is expected to make landfall on Florida’s northern Gulf Coast late Thursday, possibly as a Category 3 hurricane.
Currently, 61 of Florida’s 67 counties are under a state of emergency. In South Florida, Miami-Dade and Broward counties are not included in that list, but Monroe County is.
While businesses are boarding up and residents are filling up sandbags, mandatory evacuations have already been issued for five Florida counties, including Charlotte, Franklin, Gulf, Pinellas and Wakulla counties.
Voluntary evacuations have been recommended for Gadsen and Jefferson counties as the clock is ticking for residents who are in the storm’s path to escape.
Rain totals could approach one foot in parts of the Florida Panhandle.
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FORT MYERS, Fla. – An injured manatee and her calf are recovering after authorities on a boat rescued them from the Orange River near Fort Myers on Thursday.
What we know:
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said its Marine Unit, Advanced Technology Support Unit, drone pilots and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission helped in saving the pair after the mother was found hurt in the water and in need of medical attention.
READ: Missing Florida man found stuck in mud without food or water for days: PFD
Video shows authorities pulling the frantic manatees safely onto the boat in netting before taking them to shore.
Courtesy: Lee County Sheriff’s Office
Both animals will be taken to ZooTampa for evaluation and medical care.
What we don’t know:
LCSO did not say the extent of the mother’s injuries.
By the numbers:
As of Feb. 20, there have been 85 manatee deaths across Florida in 2026, according to the FWC. Last year reportedly saw a total of 632 manatee deaths.
Dig deeper:
Earlier this month, the FWC began investigating a spike in manatee deaths, specifically in Lee County, where officials say 25 were found dead within a week.
READ: FWC investigating spike in manatee deaths over the past week
The FWC believes these manatee deaths could be from several factors: cold stress, a lack of seagrass and polluted waterways.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
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