Helene, the most powerful hurricane to strike Apalachee Bay and one that threatened Tallahassee with a direct hit, made landfall late Thursday in Taylor County.

Since late Tuesday, a mandatory evacuation has been in effect for the approximately 22,000 residents of Taylor County — but, for those who chose to stay behind, the Division of Emergency Management is asking them to make identifying their body easier after the storm — by writing their name on an arm or leg with a permanent marker.

Helene, the most powerful hurricane to strike Apalachee Bay and one that threatened Tallahassee with a direct hit, made landfall late Thursday in Taylor County.

Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm, smacked into the Big Bend Thursday night with a wrath the area has never before seen. The rain and wind left thousands without power. Some of the hardest hit counties — Taylor,

Hurricane Helene slammed into Florida's Big Bend region late Thursday, bringing catastrophic storm surges which have destroyed buildings. The National Hurricane Center said that Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane.

Hurricane Helene, one of the most powerful storms to hit the U.S., made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region late Thursday night, bringing deadly winds and widespread destruction. The Category 4 storm,