Laurens County Residents Reel from the Impact of Hurricane Helene
Laurens County, S.C. has been dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which swept through the area with relentless wind and rain earlier this week. The storm left many homes damaged and thousands of residents without power. With grocery stores nearly emptied of supplies, community members are struggling to cope with this sudden crisis.
Army National Guard Steps Up to Assist
The Army National Guard has mobilized to provide support for those affected in Laurens County. They’ve traveled from the coast to deliver essential supplies, which include Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) and flats of water. Distribution sites have been established where locals can come and collect these much-needed items. The distribution points are open from 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m., ensuring that everyone has a chance to stock up on necessities.
Local Resident’s Story
Teresa Cook-McGrath, a long-time resident of Laurens County, shared her experience waiting in line for food and water. “Grocery stores are empty,” she said, reflecting the reality for many in the community. Before the storm, Teresa never imagined that the local stores would be so depleted. “It’s a scary situation,” she added.
As the storm rolled in on Friday morning, Teresa could hear the chaos outside her home. Century-old trees fell and snapped, while power lines hung dangerously low. “I can’t remember when we’ve been without power for so long,” she lamented.
The Power Situation
As of Wednesday, the power situation in Laurens County was dire, with approximately 34,000 outages reported by Laurens Electric and Duke Energy. Many residents have been without power for over 100 hours, leading to more challenges in finding food. Local stores have had to discard perishable items that require refrigeration, further exacerbating the food shortage.
“Cold goods, the things that people need—meat, nutrition, vegetables and stuff—all this stuff is gone. We can’t get stuff. There’s no food,” Teresa explained. The persistent outages mean that many are rushing to buy any remaining supplies, but those are scarce as well.
Assessing the Damage
The damage across Laurens County has been described as vast and unnerving. Greg Lindley, the Director of Fire Services for Laurens County, stated, “In my 35 years of experience, I have never seen this type of weather event cause this much damage.” Despite the extensive destruction, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has not yet classified Laurens County as a federal disaster area. However, officials from FEMA did arrive to assess the situation.
Community Needs Highlighted
As residents continue to face challenges in getting food and basic supplies, there are calls for increased attention from FEMA. “People are without. To me, that’s destruction. I think FEMA needs to look a little closer, not just in the big cities, but in these small areas where we stay. People right now are struggling, and they’re getting frustrated,” Teresa stated.
Emergency Shelter and Reporting Damage
The county has also set up an emergency shelter at 301 Exchange Drive in Laurens for residents needing a safe place to stay. Here, individuals can also report property damage, ensuring that all instances of suffering are documented.
In a time of need, it’s heartening to see such support coming into Laurens County. As the community rallies together, it’s a reminder of the strength and resilience that shines through during challenging times. But with power outages persisting and food supplies dwindling, many are eager for a swift recovery and restoration of normalcy in their lives.
