Flooding victims still seeking answers from city of Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – People in South Augusta are still in need of help after their homes and streets flooded in June.

Many of them have been promised help but are still waiting months later.

Emerson Drive is one of the streets that was greatly impacted by the flood.

“There has been moments where you get calls from the city and they say ‘Hey, we’ll send somebody out to help survey, assess the damage’ and you still get nothing,” said Jerrell Frazier, a homeowner on Emerson Drive.

Gregory McCloskey, a homeowner on Emerson Drive, said: “We’ve put probably $350 worth of disposal already going into the city dumps and stuff. They didn’t address any of that. We got an estimate for the damages under the house. And we’re looking at $38,400 for that. The AC estimate was another $8,000 on top of that. So just those two items was around $46,000. And that doesn’t address the interior walls, the floors on the inside, doesn’t address the foundation damage that’s causing the roof on the interior to crack, any of that.”

But now it’s stressful every time it rains.

“We were actually at the grocery store. And just instinctively, my wife got worried. And the first thing she did was call my son. ‘Hey, how bad is the yard flooded? Are you okay? Do we need to come home and get you?’ It’s at the point where we can’t even go shopping, because my wife is worried that my sons are gonna flood out,” said McCloskey.

Residents are having to make phone calls just to get help.

“And when you call the number it goes to a call receive center, where they take your name and number and say someone’s going to contact you. And then we’re not hearing back,” said McCloskey.

But that doesn’t stop them from trying.

“I’m still calling and leaving my name with the call center. I haven’t received a call back haven’t received an email back,” said McCloskey.

Some residents are even considering taking drastic measures.

“I’m considering selling my own house personally because at this point, you know, if my community doesn’t care about me, why should I stay in it?” said McCloskey.

News 12 reached out to the City of Augusta on Wednesday, and at 6:18 p.m. they sent a response to the issue.

“In the aftermath of the recent severe weather, Augusta, Georgia officials are actively engaged in assessing the extent of storm damage and flooding while offering crucial aid to affected residents. City officials are present on-site, engaging with residents to accurately gauge the damage incurred and to guide them towards essential services as necessary. Collaborating seamlessly with various non-profit organizations, Augusta is steadfastly committed to delivering relief and assistance to its citizens who have been adversely affected by the calamity. To access the requisite support for recovery, residents are encouraged to reach out to the following agencies: United Way 211, Augusta 311, the Augusta Emergency Management Agency, and the American Red Cross.”

A few months ago, News 12 reached out to numerous people with the city of Augusta looking for answers about the flooding in the area of Virginia Avenue, Argonne Drive and Yates Drive.

“Augusta, Georgia continues to assess the storm damage and flooding impacts from the recent severe weather. City officials have been onsite speaking with residents to evaluate damage and directing them to appropriate services as needed. The Augusta Fire Department encourages residents impacted by the storm to contact the following organizations for recovery support: United Way 211, Augusta 311, the Augusta Emergency Management Agency, and the American Red Cross,” said the city in a statement in June.

News 12 also reached out to Code Enforcement asking for a list of homes that have been labeled uninhabitable and are still waiting for a response.

We also reached out to the city about their response to people still looking for places to stay.

The flooding has been a well-known problem in Augusta, and we’ve been covering it for years in stories like these:

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