REIDSVILLE, Ga. (WSAV)—People in Reidsville are dealing with another wave of Helene’s destruction as storm waters flood the Ohoopee River.
“It’s been going up really quick,” said AJ Brown, a resident in the Joy Bluff neighborhood next to the river.
Hearing there was a record surge on the way, many people in the neighborhood had already evacuated by Wednesday.
Neighbors said it’s a popular fishing spot, but water normally doesn’t rise past the boat ramp.
“I saw a lot of people evacuate yesterday and some people sitting on four wheelers to take stuff to people that’s stuck in their yards,” said Brown. “I saw that early this morning.”
Brown told News 3 the water rose more quickly than many people expected.
“They wake up and see that their back yard is flooded and then they’ll come back a few hours later so they try and evacuate,” said Brown.
By Wednesday afternoon, the water hit its crest at a little over 20 feet, just touching the threshold for major flooding for the river. According to national predictions, it should lower back down about 10 feet by the end of the weekend.
With many in the community on day six without electricity, the National Guard set up at Tattnall County High School, helping to get water and supplies to those in need.
