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Hurricane Helene has come and gone, and Bainbridge and Decatur County were spared from the majority of the storm. While areas such as Valdosta have been severely impacted by the storm, this corner of southwest Georgia has been left comparatively unscathed.

According to Georgia Power, relatively few people in the area lost power, and most are expected to have power restored before lunch; the whole area is expected to be restored by the end of the day. Memorial Hospital did not experience any power outages, and there have been no reports of weather-related deaths or injuries. Sheriff Wiley Griffin stated that roughly only 16 trees were reported down out in the county, with no reports of major property damage or injuries.

Tyler Dalton with Decatur County Fire and Rescue urged citizens to be mindful of work crews clearing roads, and to avoid driving through water that covers the roads. He also encouraged citizens to use the Decatur County EMA app to report any damage. Dalton also added that the Flint River may rise significantly in the coming days, as a result of rain and flooding further to the north.

The City of Bainbridge lifted the curfew put in place early this morning, reporting that all city streets were passable. Six teams were stationed yesterday around the city to monitor storm damage.

The Salvation Army gathered at the Bainbridge Church of God Friday morning to prepare breakfast for work crews, serving 125 plates, and will also serve lunch to crews this afternoon.

The Post-Searchlight will provide more updates on the aftermath as they become available.