The effects of Tropical Storm Helene are being felt in South Carolina, as waves crash over the seawall and onto nearby buildings in downtown Charleston. A tropical storm warning is in effect for the city and surrounding coastline.

Several hurricane and tropical storm warnings across Florida have been lifted or downgraded as Helene makes its way north through Georgia, the National Hurricane said in its 5 a.m. ET update, reclassifying Helene as a tropical storm.

• Hurricane and tropical storm warnings have been discontinued along Florida’s east coast south of the Flagler-Volusia County line, the National Hurricane Center said in a 5 a.m. update.
• A hurricane warning for the coast of northern Florida, from the mouth of the Suwannee River to Mexico Beach, has been downgraded to a tropical storm warning.
• A tropical storm warning for Florida’s Gulf Coast west of Indian Pass has ended.
• A storm surge warning for the Florida coast west of Indian Pass and south of Bonita Beach has also ended.
• However, a storm surge warning is still in effect for Indian Pass to Bonita Beach and Tampa Bay.

The extent of the damage caused by Hurricane Helene will only be known when the sun rises, but the affected region’s electricity grid is already in tatters, with 2 million people left in the dark.

In Florida, 1.2 million people are without power, as are 683,000 in Georgia and 242,000 in South Carolina, according to PowerOutage.us.

Helene was hit by a Category 4 storm last night, the second strongest possible rating on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The National Hurricane Center’s hurricane strength guide states that electrical infrastructure could be damaged for weeks or even months in such a storm.

People in Georgia should continue to shelter in place from Hurricane Helene and stay away from windows during what the National Hurricane Center this morning called a “dangerous and life-threatening situation.”

The NHC said in a 4 a.m. ET update that the storm was moving quickly inland across the state, bringing winds of up to 75 mph and heavy rain.

Hurricane Helene has weakened to a Category 1 storm, but still poses a huge threat in twelve states. NBC News’ Jay Gray reports from Tallahassee, Florida, where residents dodged a direct hit.