Hurricane Helene Leaves Thousands in Georgia and South Carolina Without Power
It’s a tough time for many folks in Georgia and southern South Carolina as they continue to clean up after the chaos caused by Hurricane Helene. When the storm made landfall last Thursday with ferocious winds reaching up to 140 mph, it wreaked havoc across the states, leading to widespread power outages. Currently, over 460,000 households and businesses are left in the dark as recovery efforts ramp up.
Power Restoration Efforts Underway
By Monday at noon, major power companies like Georgia Power Company and Dominion Energy have begun to bring some relief to their combined 2.7 million customers. However, there are still significant issues to tackle. Georgia Power reported that nearly 366,467 customers are still waiting for their electricity to be restored. The number of outages recorded is quite staggering, with more than 4,690 outages reported on their outage tracker.
In a statement, Georgia Power indicated that “Hurricane Helene has been an historic event, damaging infrastructure across the state.” To put the extent of the damage into perspective, they mentioned ongoing efforts to repair or replace over 5,000 power poles, about 9,000 spans of wire that could add up to at least 425 miles in total, along with more than 500 transformers and the removal of over 1,500 trees that have fallen onto power lines.
When Will the Lights Come Back On?
If you’re wondering when you can expect the power to be back on in your area, there’s a mixed bag of restoration times across the state. For some areas in southern Atlanta and nearby towns like Dock Junction and St. Marys, power might come back on today. Meanwhile, residents in Savannah and its adjoining suburbs could see the lights flickering back on just around 10 p.m. Tuesday, October 1. For those living north of Savannah, you might have to hold tight until October 2 at 6 p.m., while other cities like Augusta, Tifton, and Waycross may face a longer wait until October 5.
South Carolina Facing Similar Challenges
Over in South Carolina, conditions aren’t much better. Just under 98,000 people are still braving the dark as their power remains off. The affected areas stretch from Union and Abbeville County down to the coastal regions near Charleston and into parts of Georgia. Fortunately, Dominion Energy has been hard at work and reported that they have restored power to about 325,000 customers by Monday afternoon.
In their statements, they said, “Today, the work continues. Our focus remains on the areas where the severity of damage has been extensive and access hindered.” Though restoration times might not be set in stone, they have provided estimates of when 95% of power might return to various communities. Residents are encouraged to check the Dominion Energy outage website for the most accurate and updated information.
Community Support and Recovery
As everyone works to get back to normal, community members are reminded to lend a helping hand to their neighbors. Whether it’s checking on someone who may be elderly or offering to share some resources, kindness can go a long way during this difficult time. People are resilient, and as power companies hustle to get things back on track, it’s heartening to see communities coming together.
Let’s all stay safe out there and do our part to help each other recover from this serious storm!
