BEAUFORT, S.C. (Sept. 27, 2024) – In addition to preparing for the possible impacts of Helene yesterday, City personnel began responding to storm damage concerns at approximately 5 a.m. this morning. Public Works crews and emergency response personnel continue to clear roadways and remove debris from areas that need to be accessed by power crews. The City will post schedules next week for one-time yard debris pickup.
Many residents remain without power. As of 4 p.m. today, approximately 29,000 customers in Beaufort County, served by Dominion Energy, were without electricity. Statewide, there remained more than 280,000 customers without electricity. Timing of restoration of power is still uncertain for most City residents. To track power outages throughout the City and repair status, go to Dominion Energy’s outage status page at https://outagemap.dominionenergysc.com/.
City building inspectors are performing damage assessments throughout the City. There was some identifiable damage to the Downtown Marina boat ramp dock. Damage to portions of the marina docks have also been reported. The extent of damage to these structures is still to be determined.
“Given the storm’s forecast, the damage from Helene is greater than we anticipated,” said City Manager Scott Marshall. “However, we remain mindful that it could have been worse, and we are grateful for our emergency response employees and the spirit of cooperation amongst the residents of the City.”