- UK Conservatives assemble to find a new leader and future direction
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- N. Korea players celebrate U20 World Cup victory in Pyongyang
- 101 dead in Nepal floods after relentless monsoon rains
- More than 60 dead from storm Helene as rescue, cleanup efforts grow
- The three contenders vying for power in Austrian election
- Austrians to vote with far-right in sight of historic win
- Messi scores but Miami held to draw again
- Sititi can shine for All Blacks in Europe: Robertson
- 'Historic achievement': Futsal World Cup journey inspires Afghans
- Florida island starts long clean-up after Hurricane Helene
- Mexico's Sheinbaum to take reins of nation facing huge challenges
- Bollywood's 'King Khan' steals show at Indian film awards
- Venezuela opposition marks two months since disputed vote
- Tom Kim complains of cursing at emotional Presidents Cup
- Buhai closes strong to take LPGA NW Arkansas Championship lead
- 'Partial peace' with Armenia not an option, Azerbaijan says at UN
- USA grabs 11-7 lead entering last day at Presidents Cup
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- Monaco celebrate centenary with late win to join PSG top of Ligue 1
- New Jersey gets final as FIFA unveil Club World Cup venues
- Rovanpera outpaces Evans in the fog for Chile lead
- Camara snatches late win as Monaco move level with PSG in Ligue 1
- Flick takes 'blame' as Osasuna halt Barca's perfect start
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- Osasuna dismantle Barca's perfect Liga start
- Dozens missing, 9 dead in migrant boat wreck off Spanish Canaries
- Death toll from Hurricane John hits eight in Mexico
- Israel kills Hezbollah chief in Beirut strike
- Kane limps off as frustrated Bayern held by Leverkusen
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- Storm Helene's toll rises as rescue and cleanup efforts gain pace
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- Storm Helene kills 44, threatens more 'catastrophic' flooding as cleanup begins
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Florida island starts long clean-up after Hurricane Helene
Michael Ward -- who has lived on Treasure Island, off Florida's Gulf coast, for 33 years -- decided to ride out Hurricane Helene despite an order to evacuate. It was a decision he quickly regretted.
Instead of going with his wife to a friend's home inland, the 67-year-old Ward stayed put. As torrential rains led to flooding, he feared he would be electrocuted in his one-story home, but the storm surge prevented him from even opening his door.
Ultimately, he climbed out of a window to escape. Waist-deep in murky water, he walked about half a mile to a neighbor's two-story home, where he spent the night.
"I can't believe that it happened. I have lived in Florida for 44 years, and too many times, the news reports about these storms turn out to be wrong," Ward told AFP.
"I guess we ran out of luck."
Treasure Island is one of a series of barrier islands across from Saint Petersburg.
Late Thursday, Helene claimed one life in this city of 6,500 residents, mainly home to retirees and wealthy professionals. Overall, dozens were killed in the storm in the United States.
The storm surge reached nearly seven feet (2.1 meters). Sidewalks are covered in mud, and random objects unmoored by the flooding -- couches, beds, refrigerators and doors -- are scattered in front of homes.
- 'Devastating' -
Arthur Czyszczon, 42, walks in and out of Page Terrace, the beachfront hotel he operates with his family.
Mattresses, nightstands and lamps are piled up outside. Like many others, Czyszczon evacuated the island ahead of Helene, and is now taking stock of the damage.
"It's devastating to see your community go through this. The saltwater does just massive damage," Czyszczon said, wondering aloud how his neighbors might recover from the storm.
Most of the one-story homes in the area are uninhabitable, and many residents do not have flood insurance because it is too costly.
"It's going to take some time to get the restaurants back, to get homes and hotels repaired. It will take the community to come together and work together better than before the storm," the hotelier said.
For Czyszczon and the other residents of Treasure Island, the long road to recovery has begun, with myriad worries and doubts. Ward said those issues kept him awake on the night the storm hit.
"I was just thinking about all the work coming that I would have to do," he said.
- 'Nightmare' -
Next to the bridge that leads to Saint Petersburg, Ross Sanchez says he does not want to contemplate the future. Like dozens of others seen in Treasure Island, he is carrying plastic bags full of items and clothes he recovered from his home.
Local officials have barred vehicles from coming onto the island so they can finish their clean-up work. That means Sanchez and other residents must walk about 1.25 miles (two kilometers) in high heat to get to the mainland.
"I've lived here for close to 40 years and never seen something like this," says Sanchez.
"I just feel too many emotions. Just utter shock. My four-year-old's toys are gone, his crib -- everything is gone."
Nearby, 74-year-old Gary Potenziano struggles to push a cart loaded with everything he was able to salvage from his house.
"This is a nightmare," said his 68-year-old wife, Patty.
"Hopefully we're going to come back tomorrow morning to our place to work, because we've got so much to do. Everything in our house is totaled."
R.Adler--BTB