Augusta mayor offers update 3 weeks after Hurricane Helene
- For the record books: Helene s the ranks of costliest storms in the U.S.
- I-TEAM: How officials assess destruction from deadly storm
- Fort Eisenhower: Get a look at Hurricane Helene damage on Army post
- Schools: Richmond County kids return to class nearly 3 weeks after Helene
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Hurricane Helene hit the CSRA 22 days ago, and Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson is providing an update on recovery efforts.
In a post made to Facebook, Johnson gave updates on multiple areas of recovery.
“Today is Day 22 since Hurricane Helene hit Augusta. We are committed to keeping you updated daily as we continue the recovery process. Together, we will rebuild,” said the mayor.
Debris management:
- As of Thursday, 249,097 cubic yards of debris has been collected.
- The city has 84 haul units operating.
- The city is asking that residents do not bring debris to debris management sites. If you are unable to clear your debris and move it to the curb, call 311.
A look at Helene’s impact on mail-in voting
Add mail-in voting to the growing list of things Helene has impacted as we’re just 19 days out from election day. A major backlog of mail means there are concerns absentee ballots won’t make it in on time.
FEMA:
- A FEMA Disaster Recovery Center has opened at the HUB for Community Innovation, located at 631 Chafee Avenue. The center is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. On Sunday, the center is open from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m.
- On Wednesday, the center served 267 applicants.
Traffic lights:
- The city says there are 275 city-operated traffic signals in Augusta-Richmond County. As of Thursday, 272 traffic signals have been restored.
Funds for small businesses run out 3 weeks after Helene
Small business owners continue to file for disaster loans, but the funding to make those loans is gone. The Small Business istration says it’s because of all the demand following the storm.
Utilities:
- Water systems continue to operate as normal, according to the city.
- Augusta Utilities Department will waive late fees for customers through December.
Telecommunications:
- WOW! has restored service for 54% of its customers, according to the mayor. WOW! is offering free Wi-Fi at all Augusta-Richmond County libraries.
- Comcast has stored service for 81% of its customers.
- Jefferson Electric has restored power to 97% of its customers.
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