On Wednesday, Sept. 25, Georgia State University moved all in-person classes online due to the threat of Hurricane Helene. The next night, the storm made landfall on the Gulf of Florida after reaching the status of a category 4 hurricane and tore through the southeast.
Hurricane Helene’s range of damage reached throughout Georgia, with its windfield extending 345 miles from its center. The storm’s threat eventually got to a point where Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp had to issue a state of emergency for every county in the state in preparation for the storm.
University President Brian Blake also released a statement regarding the hurricane.
“The storm was unprecedented, and I know that many of you have been impacted,” shared Blake. “There are still hurdles to clear. We ask that you continue to remain safe because dangerous conditions remain in the community. The combination of flooding and strong winds could lead to downed trees and power outages.”
Students downtown experienced heavy wind and rainfall once Helene reached Atlanta. Weekend activities such as the Georgia State Vs. Georgia Southern football game still took place after the storm subsided, but its impact was still felt by students living across the area.
Isabel Friare is one of those students who were impacted by Helene’s damage. Fraire lives in the Grant Park area, which some saw major damage due to Helene. When a fallen tree blocked the road outside of her neighborhood, she didn’t know what to do.
“I remember hearing a really loud crackling noise, and then a crash from my backyard” shared Fraire. “This giant tree fell over and went through some of our power lines. Eventually, the state trooper came and blocked off the road and we couldn’t leave.”
Challenges aside, classes resumed as normal the following Monday, but damages were devastating in other areas in the southeast. Atlanta experienced flooding and power outages, but no fatalities. However, the path of Hurricane Helene left at least 130 dead, and many people are still missing, according to regional officials.
According to FEMA, “federal disaster assistance is available to the state of Georgia to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Helene from Sept. 24, 2024, and continuing.”
Storm surges on the coast of Florida were up to 15 feet. When Helene bellowed through Georgia, it decreased to a Category 2 hurricane. Flooding became worse as the storm reached the Carolinas, wreaking havoc in the Appalachian mountains.
Buncombe County Emergency Services Assistant Director Ryan Cole told Citizen Times they’ve seen “biblical devastation” through the county. Alongside Buncombe County is a slew of others throughout the state who are all facing similar issues due to destroyed infrastructure and intense flooding. As of now, at least 190 people have been reported to be dead, and more missing according to various county death tolls.
