FEMA surveys Worth County damage

SYLVESTER — A Federal Emergency Management Agency team and state agency representative were in Worth County on Wednesday to survey damage from a tornado, at least EF-2 in strength, that struck Sunday afternoon.

“They are out surveying,” Jennifer Sheler, public information officer for Worth County Fire & Rescue and EMA, said Wednesday. “There is a FEMA team and a GEMA (Georgia EMA) representative surveying.”

The tornado, which had a mile-wide path in some areas as it traveled through east Dougherty and northwestern Worth counties, tore through an area of Worth County that included parts that had already been struck by an EF-2 cyclone when Jan. 2 storms came through. The latest tornado caused extensive damage in the northwestern part of the county, but there were no reported deaths or injuries.

Sheler said local officials have taken steps to reduce travel in the damage area at night. “There is a curfew in place for certain areas,” she said.

Late Tuesday afternoon, Worth County Commission Vice Chair Ken Hall amended the local state of emergency order to include a 7 p.m.-6 a.m. curfew for the hardest hit areas of the county. The curfew area extends from the Worth-Dougherty County line east to Georgia Highway 33 and is bordered on the north by Georgia Highway 32 and on the south by Jewell Crowe Road.

The local order says that only residents of the affected area; law enforcement and other public safety personnel, and federal, state and local employees engaged in their official capacities are exempt from the curfew. Hall said in the amended declaration that its purpose is to prevent or minimize injury, damage and theft of property.

“We still have some road closures,” Sheler said. “I don’t have a complete count on (damaged or destroyed) structures at this point.”

On its Facebook page, the Worth County Sheriff’s Department reported Tuesday that at least 92 structures were damaged in the storm and that 15 roads were impassable, with another dozen passable but unsafe. Eight families were in shelters Tuesday night, and caution was urged for anyone using Highway 33. More than 4,000 Mitchell EMC customers in the county were still without power Wednesday.

Sheler said it is important that any property owner with damage contact Worth EMA at (229) 776-8223 to report it “so I can get that to be an accurate number.” Federal and state disaster officials will need to quantify the losses in the county to determine what disaster relief can be made available.

Sheler said non-potable water is available at the county’s disaster staging location — Antioch Missionary Baptist Church on Highway 313 North at Jewell Crowe Road. That water is not for consumption but can be used to refill toilets and for other uses not involving drinking or cooking. Five-gallon buckets also are available there.

Sheler said response from the surrounding area has been strong in the wake of the disasters.

“We have a lot of people coming from other counties,” she said.

Support from within Worth County has been outstanding as well, she said.

“We are still getting a lot of support and a lot of help,” Sheler said. “Our office and our citizens are very grateful for that.”

Karen Rackley, president/executive director of the Worth-Sylvester Chamber of Commerce, partnered with Courtney Massey of New York Life to set up a donation center for the storm victims in Worth County at the county’s Agricultural Pavilion, located at Highway 313 and Rebecca Drive. Massey spearheaded the idea, driven by a desire to help the community. Donations can be made there and also at Walmart, Barnyard Creations and Snipes Piggly Wiggly, all in Sylvester.

Storm victims may pick up supplies from the ag pavilion 8 a.m.-9 p.m. through Sunday.

Sheler said items available include clothing, shoes, food, drinking water, baby needs, blankets and cleaning supplies. Donations are still needed, with the items most requested being bottled water, non-perishable food items, flashlights and batteries, storage totes, gym bags, clothes detergent, cleaning supplies and paper products.

Rain and possible thunderstorms, expected in the metro Albany area between 1 a.m. and 1 p.m. Thursday, are concerns. Gaping holes can be seen on many of the impacted homes and buildings in the tornado-stricken areas of the county, while others had shingles and tar paper ripped off by the high winds. Sheler said tarpaulins are available at the Antioch Church staging center.

A good Samaritan shelter has been opened by First Baptist Church of Sylvester. Mitchell EMC customers still without power will be facing colder weather starting Friday, according to National Weather Service forecasts. Daily highs are expected to stay in the mid- to upper-50s through Monday, with lows in the 30s, including overnight lows at or near freezing on Friday and Monday.

“People are more than welcome to go there,” Sheler said.

National Weather Service teams were still surveying Worth County damage on Wednesday but said the tornado that hit the county was the same one that struck Dougherty County, killing at least four people. EF-2 tornadoes have wind speeds of 111-135 mph.