Augusta, Ga., is a quiet, smaller city nestled along the Savannah River on Georgia’s border with South Carolina. It’s a tech hub and a college town, but the nation’s spotlight shines on it one week a year for the Masters golf tournament.
This week, Augusta is in the news for a more tragic reason: the damage the city sustained from Tropical Storm Helene. Most predictions had the storm bearing down on the eastern side of metro Atlanta, but Helene tracked to the east and did much more damage to Georgia’s eastern third.
Helene brought winds as high as 82 mph to the Augusta area, and 220,000 residents lost power. The area saw a run on grocery stores and gas stations as thousands of residents clamored to power generators and chain saws and replace food that went bad after hours without electricity.
Georgia Power assessed the astonishing damage numbers:
Our crews are continuing to work around the clock across all of Georgia to get the lights back on. Through our damage assessments and initial estimations, we have determined Hurricane Helene was the most destructive hurricane in Georgia Power History. Our initial damage estimates… pic.twitter.com/FIPPICxl0G
— Georgia Power (@GeorgiaPower) September 29, 2024
Gov. Brian Kemp (R-Ga.) toured Augusta on Monday morning; he has also toured other areas of the state where Helene did major damage. He is asking the federal government for help even as he is providing state resources to help those in need.
As we continue our work to rebuild from Hurricane Helene, I have requested an official expedited emergency disaster declaration from @FEMA to ensure we have all the necessary resources for a full recovery in all affected parts of the state.
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) September 30, 2024
Governor Brian Kemp Provides Update on Helene Response Richmond County and Surrounding-Area https://t.co/JJezOMBMco
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) September 30, 2024
Kemp said that he spoke with President Joe Biden on Sunday evening and that he has been “playing phone tag” with Vice President Kamala Harris. He also reported that Georgia Power has 15,000 personnel on the ground to restore power to the affected areas as quickly as possible.
The Augusta Chronicle reported on Sunday:
One of the newest developments is a water outage the City of Augusta reported Sunday morning. Mayor Garnett Johnson explained that, while pumps are still online, they are experiencing a lot more trash and debris due to the higher water levels at the Savannah River and Augusta Canal, which requires more frequent filter cleaning.
In order to remedy this, Augusta started distributing water bottles at the city’s municipal building on Telfair Street. GEMA is bringing in hot meals as well as water trucks and will be setting up distribution sites soon. Residents can tentatively expect water to be restored by Monday or Tuesday.
Looting has been an issue in Richmond County, where Augusta is located. The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office also told reporters that locals are dealing with private citizens selling gas.
"One of those things we have to worry about is where that gas is coming from," Capt. Danny Whitehead told the Augusta Chronicle. "Currently we are having to patrol parking lots, like hospitals, because people go into these parking lots and are siphoning gas – stealing it out of people's cars while they're working. The gas they're selling on the street, you have to ask yourself, 'Where are they getting it?'"
Organizations like the Salvation Army and Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief are traveling to communities to help people recover from Helene. On Sunday morning on my way to church, I met a couple from Atlanta who were on their way to Augusta with a trailer-load of generators and large gas cans to help people.
Augusta National Golf Club is also assessing damage to its storied course:
“Our Augusta community has suffered catastrophic and historic impact from Hurricane Helene. We currently are assessing the effects at Augusta National Golf Club.
— The Masters (@TheMasters) September 28, 2024
In the meantime, our focus and efforts are foremost with our staff, neighbors and business owners in Augusta. Our…
Kemp isn’t the only Republican to visit hurricane-ravaged areas of Georgia. Another prominent member of the GOP is traveling to south Georgia in a contrast to the Biden-Harris administration’s muted response.
“GOP presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump is expected to visit Valdosta, Georgia, today,” reports NBC News. “Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris has canceled campaign events and returned to Washington.”
Pray for the residents of southern and eastern Georgia as they emerge from Helene’s damage. And pray for people in other states like Florida, Tennessee, and the Carolinas in the aftermath of the storm.
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