Perry community cleans up destruction left by Helene
In Perry, Florida, the community is now cleaning up after Helene ripped through the town. The monster storm made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane with 140 mph winds.
Resident Alan Hall returned to his home in Perry after evacuating before the hurricane. As he cleaned up debris, he told CBS News Miami the worst part, was not knowing if he would have a home to return to.
"It was rough. It has been rough for the last few days. We went through Idelia 13 months ago. It was rough for our community, but this storm did a good job on us again," said Hall.
In this difficult time, neighbors were helping neighbors.
"What this does do is it builds our community. It doesn't seem like it at times, but the devastation brings us together," said Nick Harvey.
The Salvation Army set up a base camp. They brought in feeding trucks for the community and water. Volunteers will be able to provide thousands of meals per day to people who are struggling after Helene's wrath.
"I was just out with one of our teams and I had one lady who just broke down crying because this is the third one in a little over a year. So, we are very cognizant of that. I'm doing our best to just provide help, hope and sometimes just a hug for these people who have been through so much," said Michelle Hartfield with the Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services.
The worst of the damage is in nearby Keaton Beech. People in Perry say their hearts go out to their neighbors.