AT LEAST 64 people have died and millions left stranded without power as Hurricane Helene caused widespread destruction across the south-eastern United States.

The category 4 hurricane hit the Florida coast late on Thursday with winds of 140mph and then moved through Georgia, the Carolinas and Tennessee.

Georgia governor Brian Kemp said Saturday that it “looks like a bomb went off” after viewing splintered homes and debris-covered highways from the air.

Rescues continued in Buncombe County, North Carolina, where part of Asheville was underwater.

Asheville resident Mario Moraga said it was “heartbreaking” to see the damage and neighbours have been going house to house to check on each other and offer support.

“There’s no cell service here. There’s no electricity,” he said.

The storm, now a post-tropical cyclone, unleashed the worst flooding in a century in North Carolina.

President Joe Biden said on Saturday that Helene’s devastation has been “overwhelming” and pledged to send help.

He also approved federal funding those affected in North Carolina.