Southeastern U.S. states started a massive cleanup and recovery effort on Sunday after winds, rain and storm surges from Hurricane Helene snuffed out power, destroyed roads and bridges and caused catastrophic flooding from Florida to Virginia.

The death toll from Hurricane Helene has reached at least 44. Helene has left an enormous path of destruction across Florida and the entire southeastern U.S.

Authorities across the southeastern U.S. faced the daunting task on Saturday of cleaning up from Hurricane Helene, one of the most powerful and perhaps costliest storms to hit the country, as the death toll continued to rise.