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Augusta, GA

Augusta resident upset as severe storm clogs drains

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Augusta resident upset as severe storm clogs drains


AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Downtown Augusta was swamped with rain on Tuesday from a severe storm.

Crews were out and about trying to clear drains to help move water.

One taxpayer is upset that the city didn’t act sooner.

As rain and wind cracked across the Garden City, Kevin De l’Aigle said a quick Tuesday afternoon walk with his dog became a run for shelter.

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“I walked up on the bridge with my dog, and it was so dark. I looked this way, and it looked like a funnel cloud was going to come down. And we ran back to Urban K-9,” said De l’Aigle.

Before he could even make it across the street, waves of rainwater met the tires of his car.

“I mean, I could barely drive through it, and you can see only big trucks can get through it,” said De l’Aigle.

Orange barrels once standing as construction markers were floating, along with debris over clogged drains.

De l’Aigle blames it on years of poor infrastructure.

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“I’ve never seen it like this. I mean, we talk about all of the potholes that have been filled, when was the last time that you saw some fresh pavement,” he said.

The city’s chief engineer, Hameed Malik, says these drains take time to do their jobs and you should not mess with them.

“It takes a few hours for them to drain. I say do not try to drive on the outermost lane, close to the curb. Drive slowly,” said Dr. Hameed Malik

If you see clogged drains, report them to 311 and someone from the city will be out to clear it.

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Augusta, GA

Dead body found near railroad tracks at Walton Way

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Dead body found near railroad tracks at Walton Way


AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Richmond County officials found a dead body at Walton Way near the railroad tracks on Sunday.

Authorities say an unhoused individual was found dead on 13th Street at Walton Way near the railroad tracks at 4:40 p.m.

The person is a male, according to the Richmond County Coroner’s Office.

Richmond County Sheriff’s Office deputies and the coroner’s office went to the scene Sunday and were still there as of 5 p.m.

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There doesn’t appear to be any foul play right now, according to the sheriff’s office.

The identity of the person will be released once his family is notified.

With temperatures expected to drop to 19 degrees or below again Sunday evening, deputies are actively checking areas where unhoused individuals are known to frequent and are offering transportation to local warming centers.

While they can’t force people to find shelter, the sheriff’s office is still deplying Homeless Outreach Team and working with community partners to strongly encourage them to accept shelter during these dangerous conditons

Business owners and community members who see individuals in need are encouraged to contact dispatch at 706-821-1080 so they can assist.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta-area authorities asks motorists to stay off snowy, icy roads

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Augusta-area authorities asks motorists to stay off snowy, icy roads


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Augusta-area residents who woke up to a blanket of snow Sunday are being asked to stay off the dangerously icy roads while temperatures are expected to rise slowly above freezing.

Mayor Garnett Johnson declared a curfew Saturday night until noon Sunday, calling for nonessential businesses to close, including bars and nightspots.

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Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Chief Lewis Blanchard said Saturday evening that several roads will be closed.

“Current issues include multiple vehicles in ditches on Deans Bridge Road at Church Street due to driving conditions,” he said in a statement. “Highway 1 and Highway 25 at the county line both have slush and ice present, and traffic issues are already developing and expected to increase as temperatures continue to fall.”

  • Augusta’s Emergency Management Agency has issued a list of closed roads:
  • John C. Calhoun Expressway
  • Barton Chapel Road at Old McDuffie Road
  • Gordon Highway at Haynes Station Drive
  • Richmond Hill between Lumpkin Road and Windsor Spring Road
  • Wrightsboro Road at Heard Avenue

Here’s the forecast from the National Weather Service for the Augusta area:

  • Sunday: Sunny with a high near 37. Northwest wind 8 to 10 mph. Sunday night, mostly clear with a low around 17. West wind 3 to 6 mph.
  • Monday: Sunny with a high near 44. Calm wind becoming west around 6 mph in the afternoon. Monday night, mostly clear with a low around 26. Calm wind.
  • Tuesday: Partly sunny with a high near 55. Calm wind becoming southwest 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Tuesday night has a chance of rain after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. Chance of precipitation 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch are possible.
  • Wednesday: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy with a high near 55. Chance of precipitation 60%. Wednesday night calls for a chance of rain before 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38. Chance of precipitation 30%.
  • Thursday: Partly sunny with a high near 48. Thursday night, mostly clear with a low around 29.
  • Friday: Sunny with a high near 56. Friday night, mostly clear with a low around 38.
  • Saturday: Sunny with a high near 56.

Download the free The Augusta Chronicle app and turn on “Notifications” to get breaking news updates on the winter storm. Prefer email news alerts? Sign up for those here.

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Augusta, GA

Expecting snow, Augusta suspends bus service, closes recreation spots

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Expecting snow, Augusta suspends bus service, closes recreation spots


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Steady snow started blanketing the Augusta area late Saturday morning, with the National Weather Service predicting that much of the snow will fall before 4 p.m.

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A winter storm warning still is in effect until 10 a.m. Sunday. An extreme cold warning begins at 7 p.m. Saturday, ending 10 a.m. Sunday.

Public school districts in Richmond, Columbia, and Aiken counties have canceled all weekend school-related activities, waiting to see how much snow accumulates before deciding to change next week’s school schedule.

The Georgia Department of Transportation has announced that as of 6 p.m. Friday it had completed 85% of its planned brining of major Augusta-area roads. Crews treated all lane miles of Interstate 20 and Interstate 520/Bobby Jones Expressway.

Augusta’s public transit and its parks and recreation department are shutting down on Saturday.

The city of Augusta is maintaining a warming center at May Park Community Center, 622 Fourth St., from 5 to 9 p.m. daily.

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National Weather Service forecast for the Augusta area

  • Saturday: Snow. High near 32. North wind 8 to 14 mph. The chance of precipitation is 90%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches is possible.
  • Saturday night: Snow likely, mainly before 11 p.m. Cloudy during the early evening, then gradual clearing with a low around 14. Northwest wind 11 to 14 mph. The chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of around an inch is possible.
  • Sunday: Sunny with a high near 37. Northwest wind 9 to 11 mph. Evening mostly clear with a low around 17. Calm wind.
  • Monday: Sunny with a high near 46. Calm wind becoming west around 6 mph in the morning. Evening mostly clear with a low around 27.
  • Tuesday: Partly sunny with a high near 55. Evening mostly cloudy with a low around 41.
  • Wednesday: Rain likely, mainly after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. The chance of precipitation is 60% through the evening with a low of about 37.
  • Thursday: Chance of rain. Partly sunny with a high near 46. The chance of precipitation is 30%. Evening, partly cloudy with a low around 29.
  • Friday: Sunny with a high near 53.

Download the free The Augusta Chronicle app and turn on “Notifications” to get breaking news updates on the winter storm. Prefer email news alerts? Sign up for those here.



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