AUGUSTA, Ga. – From the air, the view of Hurricane Helene’s toll in Augusta is staggering. Neighborhoods were left in disarray from the storm’s strong winds, which toppled trees and knocked down power lines. 

“That’s my house, I lived here for my daughter’s entire life,” said Crystal Watson, who has lived in the home for about a decade. 

As Hurricane Helene tore through, four trees came crashing down, narrowly missing two bedrooms where people were sleeping. 

“Just looking at my house, I just feel thankful because we’re all okay,” Watson said. “We’re all okay. We’re able to stay here. We’re able to sleep here at night and I know that it’s probably a lot worse for other people.” 

Around the area, damage can be found everywhere; on Monday morning, Governor Brian Kemp got a bird’s-eye view.   

“This hurricane looks as if a 250-mile-wide tornado has hit,” he said. 

SEE ALSO: Death toll rises to 25 in Georgia, Biden asked to approve disaster declaration

Gov. Kemp says the death toll in Georgia stands at 25, including a 27-year-old mother and her one-month-old twin boys who died when a tree fell onto their mobile home just west of Augusta.  

Kemp says he is working with federal partners to get help where it is needed. 

“This storm literally spared no one,” he said. 

The governor stated that at the height of the storm, 1.3 million people were in the dark; however, in the days since, hundreds of thousands have had their power restored. For Georgia Power service areas alone, company officials say more than 7,000 power poles had to be repaired or replaced, more than 700 miles of new wires had to be strung, more than 1,200 new transformers installed, and more than 3,000 trees had to be removed from lines. 

For the Watson family, recovery will take some time, but they have insurance. They said their community has really come together during this difficult time. 

“We’ve become really close with our neighbors of ten years because of this. It sucks that it takes that kind of disaster to make it happen,” Watson said. “I am glad that communities are helping each other out, and we still have some good humanity left out there.” 

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Civil Air Patrol’s Georgia Wing joined the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency Sunday for Hurricane Helene relief efforts needed in the aftermath of the storm that left devastation across multiple eastern states.

Civil Air Patrol teams are assisting local officials with humanitarian efforts after the hurricane left millions of homes without power.

Teams of volunteers were sent to three locations in the Augusta area to assist in food and water distribution to local communities.

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The effort frees up emergency responders so they are able to continue focusing on life-saving calls for assistance, according to the Civil Air Patrol.

“Following Hurricane Helene, our trained and professional volunteers are ready to step in and provide critical support,” Georgia Wing Commander Col. Michael Willis. “Our commitment is to support our partners and ensure the people impacted by this disaster receive the assistance they need as quickly and effectively as possible.”

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Hurricane Helene: Community updates from across CSRA

Take a look at the recent updates across the CSRA as a result of Hurricane Helene, including travel warnings, open gas stations, restaurants and grocery stores along with power outages and other updates for the public.

The Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, plays a critical role in emergency services and disaster response operations.

Working in close coordination with state and local agencies, volunteers provide essential support in times of need, often serving as a force multiplier when disasters strike.

Its diverse capabilities include aerial reconnaissance, search and rescue, and ground team support, to ensure timely and effective responses to natural and man-made disasters.

During operations, CAP members assist by conducting aerial photography to assess storm damage, delivering essential supplies to isolated areas, and even performing search-and-rescue missions for missing people.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – One person was injured in a shooting Sunday night in Augusta.

It happened around 6:33 p.m. Sunday in the 1000 block of River Ridge Drive, according to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.

The victim, a woman, was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Due to the active investigation, no further information is available.

It was Augusta’s second shooting in 24 hours, and the second since Hurricane Helene laid waste to the community.

The other shooting was reported just before 5:30 p.m. Saturday at 10th and Florence streets, according to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.

Upon arrival, deputies located one male victim who was dead.

The shootings come amid an outbreak of violent crime that’s claimed more than 180 lives in a little over two years across the CSRA.

The crime outbreak has affected communities large and small, but as the biggest city in the region, Augusta has been hit especially hard.

Authorities have blamed much of the problem on gangs.

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