Hurricane Helene Leaves Newberry County Struggling to Rebuild

Hurricane Helene Leaves Newberry County Struggling to Rebuild

This week, the quaint city of Newberry, South Carolina, found itself grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which made its way through the area just three days prior. For many residents, life has been interrupted as they work to get back on their feet amid the raw effects of the storm.

Power Struggles in the Wake of the Storm

Power outages swept through the western half of South Carolina, with the eastern part showing a bright blue on outage maps while the west painted a darker shade of red. Newberry County, in particular, faced the brunt of the storm’s impact, suffering from major outages. As of Monday afternoon, a staggering 76% of the county’s residents remained without power.

One of those affected, Bethany Green, was using a generator at a home she and her father were temporarily staying in, following a massive tree that had fallen during the storm. This tree caused havoc by taking down power lines and poles on her block. It was a close call for her truck, which escaped the destruction with just a dent on the hood. “If the truck had been parked a few feet forward, there would be no car to go to work,” Green reflected.

A Community in Crisis

When the tree came crashing down early Friday morning, the city of Newberry lost all incoming power. City Manager Jason Taylor noted that about 80% of the roadways were obstructed, complicating any emergency response efforts. The city’s water, sewer, and even the local hospital also lost power.

“We’ve got to get those up and going,” Taylor recalled thinking early in the crisis. Thanks to their tenacity, by Monday, approximately 75% of power customers in town had their electricity restored. Crews were seen working diligently to restore service, including a North Carolina-based crew on a 16-hour shift to clear the tangled mess of downed lines.

Resilience Amidst Damage

While the damage caused by Helene varied from home to home, some residents like Green emerged relatively unscathed, suffering only from minor damage to their belongings. “We’re pretty self-sufficient,” Green assured, citing functioning water and food still available in local stores.

Chris Dunn, however, had a different story. His neighbor’s pecan tree crashed through his roof, flooding an unused bedroom just before dawn on Friday morning. Dunn expressed gratitude that the damage wasn’t worse and that the house itself, built over a century ago, was robust enough to withstand the storm. “It’s a really well-built house,” he said reassuringly.

Community Support Shines Bright

For the residents needing more help, a temporary shelter was set up at Newberry High School, while the city opened a charging station at the old firehouse. Residents were invited in to charge their devices—crucial in this time of disconnection. On Monday, people gathered, exchanging stories while enjoying complimentary coffee and water.

Menda Shelton took her family to the charging station, where her teenager finished his schoolwork using the available internet access. With no power at home, the community services have been a lifeline. Even Newberry College students were seen sprawled on the floor charging their devices as they waited for the power to return.

The Heart of Newberry

Dunn took note of the community spirit as neighbors reached out to see if anyone needed help. “There are people worse off than we are,” Dunn stated, proposing the idea to collect donations for those in need. His sentiment echoed throughout the community, illustrating the strength and resilience of the residents of Newberry.

Despite the challenges brought on by Hurricane Helene, the heart of Newberry continues to shine. The people here are proving to be not just survivors, but neighbors helping neighbors, showing that in times of trouble, the spirit of community never fails to rise.