Beaufort County Picks Up the Pieces After Storm Helene
As the sun broke over Beaufort County on Friday morning, the aftermath of Hurricane Helene was quickly becoming visible. The winds blew fiercely through the area, leaving behind fallen trees, scattered debris, and downed power lines. It wasn’t long before thousands of residents were left without electricity, casting a shadow over the picturesque scenery of this scenic region.
During a statewide update at 2 p.m. on Friday, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster shared that the storm had caused possibly the highest number of power outages seen from any storm in recent memory. John Quagliariello from the National Weather Service made it clear that conditions had been intense, noting Beaufort recorded wind gusts reaching an astonishing 75 mph. He mentioned that the service had issued 63 tornado warnings across the state, though the tally of actual tornado occurrences remains to be confirmed, with survey teams scheduled to assess the situation in the following days.
The diligent cleanup efforts had already begun in Beaufort County by Friday afternoon. Crews were hard at work, clearing debris and fallen branches while also restoring power and ensuring that roads were safe for travel. Unfortunately, residents of Bluffton received news that a section of May River Road, between Buckwalter Parkway and Old Miller Road, would be closed for an extended period due to downed power lines and trees. According to a town email from spokesperson Debbie Szpanka, the area is expected to remain closed throughout the day and possibly into the evening hours.
Bluffton Township Fire District’s public information officer, Stephen Combs, described the damage as “extensive,” as the service responded to a whopping 130 calls in just 24 hours. He noted that this figure surpassed the number of calls they had received during Hurricane Matthew.
Fire departments across Beaufort County found themselves extremely busy, especially during the early hours of Friday. From midnight until 9 a.m., the Hilton Head Island Fire Department reported responding to 35 downed trees, with two of those incidents causing damage to buildings. Joheida Fister, the fire department spokesperson, confirmed the chaos. Meanwhile, on Lady’s Island, Scott Harris indicated a similar situation, with power lines down and debris littering roadways.
In another part of the county, the Burton Fire District reported over 50 emergency calls related to Helene, including calls for wires and fallen trees, as well as electrical fires due to exploding transformers. One notable incident occurred when firefighters had to respond to a house fire before 1:30 a.m. on Friday. Despite these challenges, the district reported no serious injuries resulting from any incidents.
Emergency responders from various departments had their hands full as they navigated through the debris-riddled landscape. Between Thursday and Friday morning, the National Weather Service’s Charleston office tallied nine preliminary local storm damage reports, which varied from downed trees to potential tornado sightings across the region.
Some of the storm’s notable incidents included sightings of possible tornadoes on Thursday morning, leading to several trees down and minor roof damage reported on Daufuskie Island. The weather tumult continued throughout the early hours, bringing enough chaos to warrant the Hilton Head Island beach patrol to fly red flags at Coligny Beach, warning of high-risk rip currents.
Even with the tumultuous conditions, determined beachgoers were spotted dodging the debris and assessing damage along the coastline. It’s a testament to the resilience of the Beaufort County community that, despite the storm’s wrath, many residents were attempting to enjoy the great outdoors and help one another.
The road to recovery will be long, with residents and officials working together to restore normalcy in the area. If you’ve experienced storm damage, you’re encouraged to report it with photos and videos to help assist in recovery efforts.
Stay safe out there, Beaufort County! Your community is stronger together.
Mays Contracting
