This story was originally published by the Ledger-Enquirer.
Hurricane Helene brought unimaginable destruction through nine states, killing upwards of 250 people – it’s quickly becoming one of the most expensive hurricanes in the country’s history.
As of Monday, 65,000 claims had been filed with USAA and 93,000 claims had come across desks at State Farm from all the states impacted by the storm, according to spokespersons from both insurance companies. Both said Georgia had the highest number of claims of all the states. About 35,000 claims from Georgia alone were filed with State Farm.
Rebecca Nelson, spokesperson for USAA said 65,000 was more than the company received for hurricanes Michael or Ian.
“We expect that number to climb unfortunately,” Nelson said.
It was unclear exactly how many of USAA’s claims came from Georgia.
‘Valdosta has just been unlucky’
Seventy-five miles inland from Florida’s Big Bend, Valdosta took the brunt of Helene, but with two previous hurricanes in the past three months, the city is learning how to adapt.
Prior to last year, Valdosta had never experienced a hurricane in its 166 years as a city, according to Mayor Scott Matheson.
AccuWeather lead hurricane expert Alex DaSilva explained hurricanes can go through “spells of active to inactive, like Hurricane Laura and then Hurricane Delta striking western Louisiana,” he said. “Valdosta has just been unlucky.”
Climate change has worsened hurricanes, experts say: the oceans absorb the planet’s excess heat and gases, warming to upper 80-degree temperatures acting as fuel for hurricanes, according to scientists.
But climate change didn’t cause Valdosta to get hit with Helene. The wind sheer, ocean temperatures and a dip in the jetstream all lined up.
“All the ingredients were there,” DaSilva said. “But the warmer waters in the Gulf, exacerbated by climate change, did create fuel for the storm to get up to a Category 4.”
“With a warming planet we’re seeing more episodes of rapid intensification,” he said. “If (ocean) temperatures were coolerwe wouldn’t have seen something like this occur in Valdosta. The storm could move faster and hold intensity further inland.”
Credit: Kala Hunter
Credit: Kala Hunter
Valdosta was prepared to receive the hurricane.
“We updated our emergency management system after Idalia,” said Meghan Barwick, public information officer for Lowndes County. “We created a code red system called Alert Lowndes so 120,000 county residents could get notifications via text or email.”
Valdosta Mayor Scott Matheson told the Ledger-Enquirer that Valdosta has one of the best emergency management responses in the country.
There were three deaths in Valdosta from the disaster: a young child and a mother who were trapped from debris and penetrated by a tree, and an older man who had a heart attack onset by stress, according to Matheson.
“A lot more injuries than Idalia,” Matheson said. “And more homes and cars were penetrated by trees.”
Matheson and the Emergency Management Agency of Lowndes County have worked around the clock to help people get food across five distribution centers, get uninsured residents help from FEMA, and help with tree removal.
In addition to the state of emergency declaration that Gov. Brian Kemp requested the day before the hurricane on Sept. 26, Lowndes County requested to be in a federal state of emergency, which would increase funding.
“We got 100% designation,” Matheson told the Ledger-Enquirer on Friday. “For 90 days (starting Sept. 24) every wear and tear … across this county, we’re expecting to get 100% reimbursement from federal and state government.
“The day after the storm, the President called me on the phone and told me they were working to get us the declaration.”
Between that call and the following Friday, Valdosta had visits from Kemp, FEMA, Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, former President Donald Trump, President Joe Biden, and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to assess the damage and offer help.
One of the takeaways for Matheson is that three hurricanes in 13 months isn’t an anomaly anymore. He’s trying to find ways to help his city prepare.
“I now have to start thinking about a quarter or half-penny sales tax for disaster preparedness,” he said. “It’s something coastal cities do but given what Valdosta keeps going through I will think about adopting it.”
Credit: Kala Hunter
Credit: Kala Hunter
The Ledger-Enquirer asked if he would change tree ordinances given the amount of trees that fell through homes.
“Thirty-seven years ago we became a designated Tree City, thanks to the wife of a former Mayor,” he said. “She told me, jokingly, maybe that was a mistake.”
Last year, a mound of tree stumps that were eventually turned into wood chips were piled out by the old Valdosta High School. Valdosta is littered with tree stumps on almost every curb.
“That mound is going to be twice as high,” Matheson said.
Meghan Barwick said tree stumps stacked up on the curb in the unincorporated area of Lowndes County would get picked up Monday.
Barwick said she is waiting to hear back from FEMA to coordinate a Disaster Recovery Center. It’s an opportunity for people to go to FEMA in person and have representatives on the ground. For now, if residents need assistance, Barwick said go online or call FEMA.
Credit: Ledger-Enquirer
Credit: Ledger-Enquirer
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