Nine residents of Pinellas County are now confirmed dead as a result of Hurricane Helene.
Officials say each person was in areas of mandatory evacuation Zone A. All but one appeared to have drowned, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department.
Several of the victims have been identified.
They are:
- Donna Fagersten, 66, of Indian Rocks Beach. Detectives say she was found in her home, where several inches of water had entered.
- Patricia Mikos, 80, of Dunedin. Mikos was in her home when water rushed inside, and a possible electrical fire started. Dunedin firefighters tried, but could not reach her home because of rising water.
- Aiden Bowles, 71, of Indian Rocks Beach. Bowles appeared to have drowned in a bedroom at his home.
- Marjorie Havard, 79, St. Pete Beach. She was located inside her home surrounded by debris. Responders discovered water inside.
- Francis Wright, 71, of Madeira Beach. Water entered Wright’s home, where he was found on the floor, surrounded by debris.
- Jerome Waite, 89, of Saint Petersburg. Waite was found in his garage surrounded by debris. Water had entered his home.
- Rachel Burch, 37, of Treasure Island. Burch was found inside her home where detectives say water had entered the residence.
The Sheriff's Office will continue to investigate these deaths with the Indian Shores Police Department, the St. Petersburg Police Department, and the Treasure Island Police Department.
