Helene aftermath: Flooding, power outages continue after deadly storm

Recovery efforts continue Sunday across Georgia’s 159 counties after Helene barreled through the state, causing catastrophic damage, flooding and at least 17 deaths.

More than 400,000 people were still without power statewide after Helene entered South Georgia as a Category 2 hurricane around 1 a.m. Friday. Homes were destroyed, and neighborhoods were flooded across the state. Operations at dozens of United States Postal Service facilities throughout Georgia have also been disrupted.

While Atlanta escaped the brunt of the damage, flooding woes have persisted after the city experienced the most rainfall over a 48-hour period since the 19th century.

[6:05 p.m.]: In Waycross as in many towns across the eastern and southern part of the state, residents struggled in the aftermath of the storm as outages persisted. For those with chronic medical conditions, the power outages were particularly perilous.

Teri Thomas’ 10-year-old granddaughter, Ireland, is one of them. Ireland relies on electricity to survive. She was born with aicardi syndrome and requires a feeding pump to receive medicine and food. If she goes without it for an extended period of time, she can have severe seizures, Thomas said.

After Hurricane Helene tore through Waycross early Friday morning, most of the city’s residents lost their power, and Thomas’ granddaughter was left without a way to eat or take her medicine.They could tell she was growing sicker by the minute, Thomas said, so they called emergency medical services to try and get help powering her feeding pump.

EMS told them they couldn’t do anything except bring her to the hospital.Eventually, Thomas’ family was able to borrow a generator and fill up a few tanks of gas to keep the electricity running and Ireland fed, but Thomas had to drive to Folkston, about 35 miles away, just to find a functioning gas station.

All told, Ireland went about a day without a functioning feeding pump.Thomas’ apartment complex still doesn’t have power, and she said they’re estimating up to a week until it will be fully restored to the area. If Thomas’ daughter runs out of gas before the electricity returns, Thomas will have to go back out in search of more to fuel the generator.

”We have found out real fast, there is nowhere to go. There is nowhere to get help,” Thomas said. “We are surviving barely — we’re hanging in there.”Without power at Thomas’ apartment complex, she and some neighbors have been “camping 101″ by firing up the grill and collecting some pine sticks and debris to cook with before the food goes bad. They even put a kettle on to make coffee, and a nearby church was passing out snacks and juice for the kids.

”We’re all in the same boat. We’re all trying to stick together,” she said. They weren’t prepared for the strength of Hurricane Helene. Waycross has never experienced a storm this bad, she said, so it took them by surprise, and for families like Thomas’, the power outages and lack of resources are even more life threatening.

”We’re just sitting here not knowing when we’re going to get power on,” she said. “(It’s) the worst part of it, and how long we’re going to be able to feed our families and get gas.” -- Staff writer Olivia Wakim

[4:50 p.m.]: Former President Donald Trump will survey the damage from Hurricane Helene in Valdosta on Monday as officials work to recover power and repair damage to one of the hardest hit parts of the state.

The Republican is one of several politicians to visit the south central Georgia city after the storm brought lashing winds and catastrophic flooding to the region, leaving at least 15 Georgians dead. Gov. Brian Kemp and U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff both traveled to Valdosta on Saturday to tour the hurricane’s path of devastation and help coordinate emergency response efforts.

Trump’s campaign said he will receive a briefing on the damage, help facilitate the distribution of relief supplies and deliver remarks at 2 p.m.

— Read the full story by staff writer Greg Bluestein here

[3:35 p.m.]: For those heading south toward Florida, I-75 is clear and open for travel, according to Nita Birmingham, Georgia Department of Transportation’s southwest district spokesperson. Hurricane Helene mostly impacted counties to the east of I-75, she said, so many state route intersections in Berrien and Cook County are without power and traffic signals. But finding places to get gas or stop for food will be more difficult the further south people go, she warned.

Birmingham said drivers can call 511 for roadside assistance, and GDOT’s CHAMP units, like metro Atlanta’s HERO units, can assist with changing tires or even providing enough gas to make it to the next station. Drivers should treat signalized intersections without power as four way stops.

“I would advise people, if you need gas in your car, if you need something to eat, I would do it before you get too far south,” she said.

Will Volk, GDOT’s East Central district spokesperson, which stretches from Oglethorpe County to Laurens County and includes Augusta, said they’ve also been seeing drivers blow through downed traffic signals. I-20 and I-16 are in Volk’s district, and both interstates are open in all directions. He said his district hit particularly hard, so of the 27 counties, about 70% of their routes are experiencing moderate to heavy impacts.

Volk suggests people avoid traveling unless absolutely necessary because it will give crews space to work on clearing the roads and many gas stations don’t have power to pump gas. There’s also damage to traffic signals in the “majority of the district,” he said, some of which will need complete rebuilds, so they don’t have a timeline on when those repairs will be finished. He hoped to have most of the interstates in his district cleared by Monday night.

— Staff writer Olivia Wakim

[2 p.m.]: Gov. Roy Cooper said Sunday that the death toll of 11 in North Carolina is expected to rise from Hurricane Helene as rescuers and other emergency workers reach areas currently isolated by collapsed roads, failing infrastructure and widespread flooding.

With at least 25 killed in South Carolina, Helene is the deadliest tropical cyclone for the state since Hurricane Hugo killed 35 people when it came ashore just north of Charleston in 1989.

Deaths also have been reported in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia. How did Helene became the near-perfect storm to bring widespread destruction across the South? Read the full story here .

— The Associated Press

[1:45 p.m.]: Atlanta-based Norfolk Southern said in a Sunday update that shipments moving through the Southeast could be delayed by 72 hours.

The railroad said it is “clearing thousands of downed trees across the Southeast portion of our network including the Southern Appalachians” and “has also been working closely with power companies to address downed power lines that are impacting main line traffic.”

— Staff writer Kelly Yamanouchi

[1 p.m.]: By 1 a.m. on Friday, Josie McQuaig of Waycross could hear the wind coming.

“I’m in the hall praying,” she said on the phone, her voice cracking from emotion. “You can hear that thing going around — limbs popping, trees popping — you don’t know if they’re gonna fall on top of you or what.”

McQuaig waited out the storm in the hallway while her daughter’s cat patrolled the living room. It was like something out of a movie, she said. She always thought storms like this would sound like a train, “but it didn’t sound like a train to me, it sounds like a monster,” she said.

Usually when hurricanes have passed through Waycross, it’s just been some wind, never the extent of damages they experienced, she said. McQuaig’s house mostly escaped the storm’s wrath with just a downed fence and tree limbs scattered around the yard, but her neighbor’s house got a tree through the power lines, and another residence down the street had three trees fall on top of it.

The city of Waycross has experienced three major storms this summer alone, and this was by far the worst one, city manager Ulysses D. Rayford said. He guesses there are probably thousands of felled trees.

”When the storm turned, we didn’t anticipate the wind, and unfortunately it hit us very hard,” he said. They’ve restored power to several parts of the city, including the water sewer plant, the hospital and certain stoplights. They’ve restored power to several parts of the city, including the water sewer plant, the hospital and certain stoplights. There will be food trucks available and some local restaurants are open, and there are a few gas stations and stores that have reopened.

— Staff writer Olivia Wakim

[11 a.m.]: FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell arrived in Valdosta on Sunday, where she will meet with local officials and emergency response personnel after Helene battered the area with hurricane-force winds.

The city’s downtown was littered with twisted sheet metal, bricks and tree limbs after the storm passed through, which Gov. Brian Kemp said was like a “250-mile tornado.”

As of 11 a.m. Sunday, Georgia Power said more than 27,000 of its customers were without power in the Valdosta area. Criswell will tour Valdosta and provide an update on the Helene response efforts at the Lowndes County Emergency Operations Center Sunday afternoon before she travels to North Carolina on Monday.

[10:40 a.m.]: It was a sunny Saturday for the annual peanut festival in Plains, Georgia, three days shy of the 100th birthday of former President Jimmy Carter, the town’s most famous resident.

But this year, amid the celebration, there was also a somber feeling among some attendees. Less than 48 hours earlier, Hurricane Helene crossed into Georgia. While this rural southwest Georgia town escaped major damage, the historic storm triggered power outages, leveled trees and damaged crops across swathes of the state.

The 26th Plains Peanut Festival was a temporary reprieve from the likely financial woes that waited at home for many of the farmers who traveled here and typically rejoice in the harvest season at the gathering.

“It’s a catastrophe,” said Tommy Holland, who co-owns H&H Farm near Vidalia with his brother. “We’ve been completely wiped out.”

Read the full story by staff writer Michelle Baruchman here .

[9:55 a.m.]: Augusta Utilities on Sunday announced it is temporarily shutting off water service for “all of Augusta - Richmond County,” due to Helene. The water is expected to be restored within the next 24 to 48 hours, the utility said, noting the trash and debris caused by the storm blocked their ability to pump water.

“We are working closely with emergency services and local partners to monitor the situation and provide safe drinking water alternatives until normal services are restored,” Augusta Utilities added. “While repairs are underway, we are working to establish temporary water distribution sites throughout the community.”

[9:45 a.m.]: Swimming in floodwaters? Think again.

Drivers are advised to stay clear of flooded areas, even when seeking supplies or checking on someone. In fact, more than half of flood victims are in vehicles swept away by moving water, according to the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA).

But officials say walking through flooded waters could also put you in danger, not only from the drowning risk, but from infectious diseases, downed power lines, or chemicals that could be in the water. In some cases, wild animals could be lurking beneath the surface.

“Apart from the fact that hazardous objects may float along the stream of a flood, floodwaters may also conceal sharp objects, such as wood, glass or metal fragments, and even large holes created by collapsed buildings and roads,” stated the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). “Floods can also lead to an abundance of various specific hazards comprising biological and chemical (or even radiological) contaminants.”

[9:25 a.m.]: While Georgians continue to deal with Helene’s devastation, other states in the Southeast also are grappling with the aftermath.

Massive rains have left people stranded, without shelter and awaiting rescue, as the cleanup is underway from a tempest that killed at least 64 people, caused widespread destruction across the U.S. Southeast and knocked out power to millions of people, according to the latest Associated Press reports .

Western North Carolina was isolated because of landslides and flooding that forced the closure of Interstate 40 and other roads.

The storm, now a post-tropical cyclone, was expected to hover over the Tennessee Valley today, the National Hurricane Center said. It unleashed the worst flooding in a century in North Carolina. One community, Spruce Pine, was doused with over 2 feet of rain from Tuesday through Saturday.

[9:15 a.m.]: The United States Postal Service said that retail and delivery operations for its facilities in the 304, 308 and 209 3-digit ZIP code areas will be suspended until further notice due to Helene. In addition, officials said they suspended operations at more than three dozen facilities across the state. No alternative sites were available.

Adel PO, 1009 S Hutchinson Ave., 31620.

Alapaha PO, 22261 Main St., 31622.

Alma PO, 523 W 12th St., 31510.

Argyle PO, 6427 Main St., 31623.

Baldwin, 1090 Willingham Ave., 30511.

Barney PO, 13841 GA Highway 122, 31625.

Blackshear PO, 327 Main St., 31516.

Blackshear Sta., 3297 US Highway 84, 31516.

Bristol PO, 1983 GA Highway 121, 31518.

Carnesville, 9581 Lavonia Rd., 30521.

Cecil PO, 51 Main St., 31627.

Danielsville, 44 General Daniel Ave. S., 30633.

Douglas PO, 600 Madison Ave. S., 31533.

Fargo PO, 700 US Highway 441, 31631.

Hahira PO, 112 N Church St., 31632.

Hoboken PO, 4850 Main St. E., 31542.

Hortense, 4779 GA-32, 31543.

Kingsland, 310 S Grove Blvd., 31548.

Lakemont, 17 Lakemont Industrial Dr., 30552.

Martin, 3819 Historic Highway 17, 30557.

Mershon PO, 2547 GA Highway 32, 31551.

Moultrie PO, 215 N Main St., 31768.

Nahunta PO, 10119 Main St. N., 31553.

Nashville PO, 301 S Bartow St., 31639.

Norman Park PO, 113 E Broad St., 31771.

Odum PO, 219 S Church, 31555.

Offerman PO, 7203 US-84, 31556.

Patterson PO, 6469 US-84, 31557.

Pavo, 2028 Harris St., 31778.

Poulan PO, 120 Broad St. SW., 31781.

Quitman PO, 410 E Screven St., 31643.

Ray City PO, 8122 Main St., 31645.

Screven PO, 117 W JL Tyre St., 31560.

Tallulah Falls, 235 Main St., 30573.

Tunerville, 1083 Thacker Rd., 30580.

Valdosta PO, 3698 Inner Perimeter Rd., 31602.

Waresboro PO, 4308 Albany Ave., 31564.

Washington, 215 E Court St., 30673.

Waycross PO, 601 Tebeau St., FL 1, 31501.

Waynesville PO, 25380 US-82, 31566.

Welsey Chapel, 2724 Wesley Chapel Rd, 30034.

West Green PO, 9978 US-221, 31567.

[8:30 a.m.]: Georgia Power said more than 445,982 customers were without power Sunday morning after Helene left a train of destruction across the state.

Nealy 150,000 of those customers were from the southeast Georgia areas of Savannah and Brunswick amid fierce winds and flooding from the powerful storm. In South Georgia, officials said 20,000 people were still without power in the areas of Valdosta and Waycross. Thousands of customers near Dublin, Statesboro and Vidalia were also looking to get their power restored. In metro Atlanta, only a few dozen outages were reported on Sunday morning after Helene left thousands of customers without power over the previous two days.

[8:05 a.m.]: Atlanta received 11.12 inches of rain over a 48-hour period as Helene barreled through the area, the most recorded since 1878 , according to Georgia’s Office of the State Climatologist.

The rainfall in the city beat out the previous record of 9.59 inches in 1886, the office stated. It comes after August tied for the third driest month in Atlanta since 2002.

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