Photo courtesy of the Gainesville Sun.

Hurricane Helene, a Category Four storm, left a devastating path across Florida as it continues north today, leaving over a million residents without power and facing weeks of cleanup. ISKCON Communities in Orlando, Tampa, Alachua, and Gainesville have been affected. The largest devotee population is in Alachua County, where over 80,000 residents are without power due to down power lines and fallen trees. Locals there are asked not to travel as crews clear the roads of live lines and trees.

There are no reports of significant damage to devotee homes or our temples yet, but information is limited and anecdotal at this time. Reports on social media by devotees tell of trees fallen in driveways and outbuildings. The Tulasi greenhouse at the Alachua community was damaged, and devotees are rushing there for repairs to avoid it collapsing. The temple property remains without power, while some devotees in Alachua had power restored this morning.

Devotees in the area are invited to the Temple on Saturday, September 28th at 8am to help with cleanup of the property.

Tulasi greenhouse damaged by last night’s storm.

We will update this story if there is any additional vital information to share. Local media, like the Gainesville Sun, can offer readers live updates on the aftermath in that area. Please continue to pray for all affected by this storm and for the protection of those who may be in its path, like ISKCON Murari Sevaka, a farming community in middle Tennessee, and devotees across Georgia and South/North Carolina.