Expand / Collapse search
☰

Augusta community in shambles after Hurricane Helene

By
Updated  September 30, 2024 11:33pm EDT
Hurricanes
FOX 5 Atlanta

'This storm literally spared no one': Kemp in Augusta

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp surveyed Hurricane Helene's damage across Augusta, vowing to get everything cleaned up for residents.

In brief:

    • Hurricane Helene has significantly disrupted Augusta, with many neighborhoods facing the aftermath of fallen trees and power outages.
    • Gov. Brian Kemp likened the devastation seen in Augusta to that caused by a 250-mile-wide tornado.
    • The death toll in Georgia due to the hurricane has reached 25, marking a considerable loss for the community.
    • Extensive restoration efforts are underway with the repair and replacement of over 7,000 power poles, and efforts to restore electricity for the 1.3 million initially affected.

AUGUSTA, Ga. - From the air, the view of Hurricane Helene’s toll in Augusta is staggering. Neighborhoods were left in disarray from the storm's strong winds, which toppled trees and knocked down power lines. 

"That’s my house, I lived here for my daughter's entire life," said Crystal Watson, who has lived in the home for about a decade. 

As Hurricane Helene tore through, four trees came crashing down, narrowly missing two bedrooms where people were sleeping. 

"Just looking at my house, I just feel thankful because we're all okay," Watson said. "We're all okay. We're able to stay here. We're able to sleep here at night and I know that it's probably a lot worse for other people." 

Around the area, damage can be found everywhere; on Monday morning, Governor Brian Kemp got a bird's-eye view.   

"This hurricane looks as if a 250-mile-wide tornado has hit," he said. 

SEE ALSO: Death toll rises to 25 in Georgia, Biden asked to approve disaster declaration

Image 1 of 20
▼

Augusta continues to assess damage and clean up days after Helene on Sept. 30, 2024.  (FOX 5)

Gov. Kemp says the death toll in Georgia stands at 25, including a 27-year-old mother and her one-month-old twin boys who died when a tree fell onto their mobile home just west of Augusta.  

Kemp says he is working with federal partners to get help where it is needed. 

"This storm literally spared no one," he said. 

RELATED:

The governor stated that at the height of the storm, 1.3 million people were in the dark; however, in the days since, hundreds of thousands have had their power restored. For Georgia Power service areas alone, company officials say more than 7,000 power poles had to be repaired or replaced, more than 700 miles of new wires had to be strung, more than 1,200 new transformers installed, and more than 3,000 trees had to be removed from lines. 

For the Watson family, recovery will take some time, but they have insurance. They said their community has really come together during this difficult time. 

"We've become really close with our neighbors of ten years because of this. It sucks that it takes that kind of disaster to make it happen," Watson said. "I am glad that communities are helping each other out, and we still have some good humanity left out there." 

Sources:

  • Georgia Power, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, GEMA