The City of Richmond Hill has been offering free sandbags to residents in response to Tropical Storm Debby, as flooding continues to impact neighborhoods and roads.
As of Friday, both Northbound and Southbound lanes of Highway 17 from Mulberry Drive to Canebrake Road are closed to through traffic due to flooding, according to the City of Richmond Hill website.
The cul-de-sac of Rushing Street, parts of the Richmond Place subdivision, and White Oak/Live Oak neighborhoods are also affected by flooding, said Dawnne Greene, City Clerk.
The City is working alongside local agencies such as Bryan County EMA as well as grassroots efforts from individuals to help aid residents in need. Richmond Hill’s First Baptist Church has offered to use its campus as a makeshift command center for the City, said Greene.
“We do have a community network that has partnered with us and our public works department along with Bryan County EMA helping us with procuring sandbags, etc,” said Greene.
“We have a major response from the community, with lots of people coming in with trucks and boats and kayaks to help out.”
Organizations such as the Red Cross and the United Way are also helping Richmond Hill residents navigate flood waters safely.
Water pumps from GEMA are set to arrive by Monday to help pump out water from impacted roads, said Greene. This will happen quicker if the water recedes in time over the weekend.
“The water is close to reaching maximum [height], but it still will take a few days for it to slack out to sea and start receding down,” Greene said, referring to the Ogeechee River. The Ogeechee River has reached a crest of 17.9 feet as of Saturday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
No boil advisory is in place at this time. Any advisories made in the coming days will be communicated through official City of Richmond Hill channels such as the city’s webpage, Facebook, and CodeRed alert system, said Greene.
Although no evacuation order is in place, the City of Richmond Hill urges residents to leave if they feel unsafe or believe their home is at risk.
In addition, Greene repeated warnings from the City for residents to avoid wading or driving in floodwaters for recreational purposes, as floodwaters can contain various debris, animals, and/or waste.
“Floodwaters are not playwaters…it’s not the backyard swimming pool,” said Greene.
To keep track of updates on flooding in Richmond Hill, visit the City of Richmond Hill’s website and Facebook page.
To learn more about floods, visit https://gema.georgia.gov/floods-and-flash-floods.
