'Write Your Name On Skin!': Florida Officials Warn Non-Evacuators Of Hurricane Helene

As Helene strengthened into an 'extremely dangerous' Category 4 hurricane ahead of its expected landfall on Thursday, Florida officials asked residents to write their names with permanent markers on their skin if they aren't evacuating. Authorities said that surging waters from the storm will be 'unsurvivable' and could reach levels of 20 feet in some areas.Helene brought several tornadoes, power outages and flash floods with it. Taylor County and neighboring Tallahassee are on its path and are expected to get demolished. Read More: Hurricane Helene Biggest Storm Surge Videos Surface, Florida On AlertTaylor County Sheriff, in a message on social media, said: "If you or someone you know chose not to evacuate, PLEASE write your, Name, birthday and important information on your arm or leg in A PERMANENT MARKER so that you can be identified and family notified."

"We ask that you kindly provide the following information so Search and Rescue teams can prioritize these locations," the department added. Read More: Tornadoes, Power Outages, And Floods: Florida Faces Hurricane Helene WeekendThe office further said asked those who stayed behind or their relatives to email a roster of who is staying put, whether the address in inland or along with coastline, their address and the number of people at the residence. "Returning prematurely poses significant risks due to expected heavy flooding and other hazards," the post said. "Many roads will be impassable, and there may be downed power lines, fallen trees, and other dangerous conditions."Meanwhile, more than 500,000 homes and businesses had lost power in Florida as of 8:30 PM local time, and that number is rising quickly, according to tracking site poweroutage.us.