As Hurricane Helene swept through Northern Florida, residents across the Big Bend area are grappling with widespread damage caused by a massive storm surge.

When a major hurricane hits, it is often the storm surge — the sea or gulf water driven ashore by winds — that poses the greatest threat to people’s lives and livelihoods. The storm surge that will accompany Hurricane Helene is expected to peak on Thursday night.

Hurricane Helene, a massive, destructive Category 4 hurricane causing catastrophic storm surge, made landfall about 11:10 p.m. Thursday in Florida’s Big Bend, the National Hurricane Center