Helene’s local death toll climbs to 9, one in St. Pete
September 28, 2024 - Pinellas County’s death toll in Hurricane Helene’s aftermath has climbed to nine, as of 1 p.m. Saturday. Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said all occurred in mandatory evacuation areas. Eight people drowned, including a man in St. Petersburg’s Riviera Bay neighborhood, and one died in an unreachable fire. Of the fatalities, two occurred in Indian Rocks Beach, one in Dunedin, one in St. Pete Beach, one in Madeira Beach one in St. Petersburg, one in Redington Shores, and one in Treasure Island. Officials have not released the ninth victim’s details.