NEWINGTON, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Deputies are hopeful that Eureka Road and the dam will reopen Friday afternoon after residents were advised to evacuate for fear of a possible imminent dam failure. Tropical Storm Debby brought double-digit amounts of rain.
A Screven County official told us Friday morning that crews had been moving dirt nonstop for two days and finally stopped late Thursday night because they were in a good spot.
They returned around 7 a.m. Friday morning to start again and brought down three more trucks full of soil, the official said.
The MP said everyone was hoping Eureka Road and the causeway would be reopened by Friday afternoon.
Meanwhile, an urgent flood warning remains in effect for people along the Edisto River in Bamberg County.
The warnings came as Debby made landfall a second time near Bulls Bay, SCand Georgia Governor Brian Kemp extended the state of emergency until August 15.
County of Screven
The Eureka Road Dam was severely damaged by Debby’s deluge on Tuesday and Wednesday. Crews worked throughout Wednesday and into the night to repair the dam.
Nevertheless, authorities feared the operation would fail, and the Georgia State Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security issued an evacuation warning at around 5:30 a.m. Thursday.
The warning warned of potentially life-threatening flooding with large, fast-flowing volumes of water.
The Screven County Sheriff’s Office said officials evacuated anyone who requested to do so.
Then, on Thursday, repair work continued at full speed, with one truck after another bringing earth to fill the gaps in the dam.
On Wednesday, the mood along the street was exuberant and optimistic, with community members and public employees pitching in to help.
But on Thursday, officers were focused on their work and threatened to arrest anyone caught on the closed road and dam.
Crews began the day by hauling soil from the county’s pit near the airport, but soon ran out of supplies and began using soil from wherever they could find it. Georgia Lawn Care is helping with the search.
By Thursday afternoon, officials were finally confident that the dam would hold.
State Senator Max Burns of Screven County expressed confidence that repairs had gone well and that the dam would stand.
The closure of the road left several people stranded on the other side and authorities said they had to stay there.
However, rescue workers managed to evacuate a 19-year-old young mother so that she and her baby could receive the care they needed.
People living in the area are very worried because these are their homes with all their belongings in them and they do not know if anything will be left if the dam breaks.
And there’s a big bridge downstream, and local politicians don’t want it washed away because Screven County can’t function without it.
Eureka Road itself is a lifeline for the people who live there.
“It’s a dead end,” said Codie Toole. “There’s only one way in and only one way out.”
“Of course we didn’t know it had rained that much, but it was, it was a lot of rain,” Toole said. “Of course the road is – it’s not much, there’s not much you can do with it.”
The Screven County Emergency Management Agency also announced Thursday that the bridges on Old Creek Road, which is near the dam, and Thomasboro Road are closed to traffic until further notice. These bridges are considered unsafe and pose a hazard to traffic.
Barricades were erected at both locations.
Late Thursday afternoon, the Screven County Sheriff’s Office said a train was stopped in Rocky Ford because trees had fallen onto the tracks. Work crews were on the way to clear the trees.
MORE FROM NEWS 12:
Knee-high water flowed unhindered across Union Church Road – overflow from a nearby creek.
Authorities are warning people not to go into the water because you never know what could be in there – from snakes to sewage. News 12 even found a crayfish crawling through the water on the road.
Large parts of Screven County have been flooded, forcing people to use boats to get to their homes. This is the reality for many residents, and they don’t see an end in sight.
Other people are stuck in their homes.
PHOTO GALLERY | Flooding in SCREVEN COUNTY:
In Screven County, on every corner, a street is closed, the pavement washed away, or a sewer exposed.
But the aid organizations have their hands full trying to deliver aid. Even the National Guard has helped out. And the population is grateful. Some have even brought food to the rescue workers.
We met two local teenage girls who said the support they receive there is inspiring.
“It’s unbelievable. Really,” said Kaygen Walker.
Nani Clifton agreed.
“I feel like you don’t see that very often, especially in bigger places like Augusta or Savannah,” she said. “People don’t come together like they do in small towns because they know it’s all they have. … We need to come together because people are losing their homes and the only place they’ve ever known.”
Bamberg District
Bamberg County government issued an urgent warning for residents along the Edisto River on Thursday. Due to recent heavy rainfall, the region is at significant risk of flooding over the next few days.
State law enforcement officials said they would send boat teams to patrol certain sections of the river.
As of 3:30 p.m. Thursday, the Edisto River was already at 11.6 feet, just below the moderate flood mark of 12 feet. The river is expected to crest at about 14.5 feet on Sunday morning.
IN NUMBERS:
- According to Kim Stenson, South Carolina’s emergency management director, Debby was responsible for damage to about 70 holiday homes in the state and causes great damage to 15 holiday homes and destroy one. Districts reported damage to 16 companiesState officials have already begun evaluating the 62 dams which have been identified as risks, 40 reviews and do not identify any urgent problems.
The National Guard has stationed several vehicles nearby in case of a rescue.
Residents are urged to remain alert and monitor local news. Rising water levels can pose a serious threat to life and property. If water levels rise to dangerous levels, residents should evacuate immediately to ensure their safety.
Sandbags for securing objects are available at Hauptstraße 2983 in Bamberg. Be prepared to fill and transport the sandbags yourself.
Should an evacuation become necessary, an emergency shelter has been set up and the site will be released if necessary. Until the situation improves, people will be provided with the bare necessities and a safe place to stay overnight will be created.
Floods in the Bamberg district | Photo gallery:
People should keep an emergency kit containing essential items such as medicines, important documents and basic supplies.
If an evacuation is necessary, authorities must leave the area immediately.
County Barnwell
Daniel Steele’s garden in Williston is so deep under water – 60 to 90 centimeters – that he has to paddle around it in a boat.
He has a lot of farm animals. At least that was the case before the flood.
All of his furniture was in a storage shed because the family was renovating their house. And now everything is ruined because the shed flooded.
“We’ve lost well over 100 animals, including birds and the like, rabbits, turkeys – that’s a significant number,” he said.
And many possessions are also lost.
“Cars, trucks, everything we own is pretty much underwater,” he said.
What happens next?
“Honestly, we don’t know. We won’t abandon the animals. We’ve already rescued some,” he said, drying them off and warming them up.
“We want to be here and try to keep what we can,” he said.
“We’re just asking for prayers now so we can get through this.”
He hopes that people will become aware of how important help is in such situations.
“Just because all of Barnwell County isn’t destroyed doesn’t mean there aren’t people with great loss,” he said.
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