“Definitely a little overwhelmed:” AU tries to get back to normal after Helene

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Cleanup is underway at Augusta University after heavy damage from Hurricane Helene.

Power is restored on campus and most of the debris is clear, but there is still caution tape up as crews clean up.

Dr. Keen says Helene left more than $5 million worth of damage.

AU leadership says although they’ve made strides with keeping the doors open, they still have a long recovery ahead.

“We can replace buildings, we can plant seeds for more trees, but we cannot replace the human beings that take part in our community,” says Russell Keen, Augusta University president.

It’s a reality Keen says they’re still trying to navigate after Helene left its mark, but he says clean-up isn’t the top issue right now.

“I think the most difficult part is, not necessarily the cleanup, it’s getting everyone else back on campus, focused and ready to go, which our faculty and staff and our students have done an amazing job,” says Keen.

Students say the transition has been mostly smooth, but it’s hard to ignore the last two weeks and what it has cost them.

“We actually had water coming through our doors,” says Riya Patel, senior at AU. “It wasn’t entirely too much, but it was enough to for us to be concerned.”

“Definitely a little overwhelmed,” says Tenbit Serbessa, a senior at AU. “You know, we didn’t have class for almost two weeks, so everything is, like, pushed until this weekend and next week.”

Students living on campus were moved to Gordon State College for refuge when power was out, and resources are still available for students like food and laundry services through the Salvation Army.

“It’s like good to see that everybody in the community stepped in to help one another out, especially the neighborhoods that were like severely impacted,” says Patel.

“I think they did the best that they could, given the circumstances,” says Serbessa.

Keen says fixing everything will be a long-term project, but he believes this will make the AU community stronger.

“The resilience that was demonstrated, and really the last couple of weeks of this institution, this community, speaks very loudly, and I’m very excited about what that might offer for our future,” says Keen.

AU leadership says they’re continuing to work with contractors to get everything cleaned up.

They’re continuing to focus on the well-being of students and faculty through hybrid classes and continuing community partnerships to fulfill their communities’ needs during this time.

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