FEMA starts support work in Georgia. It’s unclear when power will come back for many

Government officials already started on-site support Friday in Georgia for those affected by Hurricane Helene, FEMA announced in a news call.

Hurricane Helene’s winds caused significant tree and roof damage to the western parts of Georgia, according to Ken Graham of the National Weather Service. He, as well as Erik Hooks with FEMA, indicated that western Georgia experienced 9 to 11 inches of rainfall overnight and they are concerned with flooding.

Graham said he was glad their forecast for Hurricane Helene was accurate, which gave them the chance to “really worry about those hazards, especially those inland hazards, which was becoming true with the rainfall.”

The two said more than 4 million people were without power Friday across the Southeast region of the U.S. as a result of the hurricane. In Georgia, some counties are seeing more than 80% of their residents without power, according to Hooks. But there was no global estimated time of power restoration, said Ken Buell with the Department of Energy.

“We are waiting for the storm to pass,” Buell said. “Utility crews cannot safely operate in winds over 30 miles per hour, or heavily, heavily flooded areas or in areas where debris is preventing access.”

Hooks said the Army Corps of Engineers has been pre-positioned in western Georgia to get power back online and help clear debris. Search and rescue teams and Coast Guard helicopters are moving into Georgia to support response efforts too.

Evacuations across Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas

Jennifer Pipa, vice president of Disaster Programs for the American Red Cross, said they received at least 9,400 evacuees across 143 from Florida all the way through North Carolina. She mentioned there are more than 450 responders currently in-ground and 300 en route to supplement that staff.

They are also working with more than 45 emergency operation centers, as well as state emergency operation efforts, to coordinate relief efforts.

“Right now, we’re just trying to do impact assessment,” said Pipa. “We will monitor what the shelter populations look like. We’ll see people returning to their homes over the next couple of days.”

She said that, by Monday, they will have a better assessment of the impact and what the community will need.

Officials recommend that those affected by the hurricane’s impact follow the safety guidance from their local officials regarding specific circumstances, especially regarding downed power lines, the safe use of backup generators and whether deaths were reported in the areas.

“We also want to emphasize that your neighbors are your lifeline,” said Hooks. “We ask that all people in these communities to check in on your neighbors, especially if they are older adults or those who have particular functional assistance.”