Aftermath of Helene Leaves Lexington Residents Struggling
Lexington, S.C. — It’s been a challenging time for many residents and businesses in Lexington and nearby Irmo as they continue to deal with the impact of Hurricane Helene. Even days after the storm passed, there’s still a noticeable number of homes and businesses without power, leaving many to scramble for the essentials.
Community on the Move for Supplies
One resident, Raven Rodriguez, who hails from Augusta, has made multiple trips back and forth to Lexington. He’s on his fourth round, bringing supplies to his friends and family. “Gas, ice, and groceries are top of the list,” he shared. “We’re hearing that power might not be restored for weeks, so it’s all hands on deck.”
Raven has been busy hauling around nine gas cans, trying to help his loved ones out. “I’ve been filling them up and telling them, ‘Hey, look, I found some gas stations!’ Hopefully, that helps a bit,” he added. “Now we’re moving on to water and food supplies, so it’s been quite the haul back and forth to Augusta.” It’s a real testament to the community spirit during tough times.
Sneaking in a Lucky Find
Meanwhile, Albert Robinson from Saluda shares a similar experience. He was on a quest throughout his hometown and into Batesburg-Leesville, searching for gas. “This was about the fifth station I visited, and honestly, no one seemed to have gas. It felt like a ghost town out here,” he explained.
After much searching, Albert finally got lucky when he found a station in Lexington that had gas available. “I pulled over to check, and we finally got a fill-up! I even grabbed some extra for my generator,” he said, relieved. “At least for now, we’re set since there’s no electricity back home.” It’s little victories like these that matter the most in times of crisis.
Local Businesses Take a Hit
The storm has not only impacted families but also local businesses trying to recover. Take Viren Patel, owner of Friarsgate Supermart, as an example. The power loss last week resulted in massive losses for his store. “In over 15 years of running my shop, I’ve never faced a hit like this,” he confessed. “I had to throw away around $7,000-$8,000 worth of frozen goods because the freezer shut down. It’s heartbreaking.”
Just before the lights went out, Viren had received a fresh delivery of frozen items. “It came in on Tuesday, and the power went out right after. That’s just the nature of this business,” he lamented.
Power Restoration Update
The good news is that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Dominion Energy has shared that they expect to restore power to 95% of Lexington County by October 3rd at 11 PM. Residents are hoping for an effective turnaround as they grow weary of nightly darkness.
The response from the community has been nothing short of amazing, with neighbors helping each other out, sharing resources, and staying informed. People are coming together to support one another, build resilience, and face the challenges of power outages as a united front.
Staying Informed
As eating out or running errands becomes increasingly challenging due to power outages, many are keen on figuring out where to find resources across South Carolina. Local community boards and social media have become hubs of information to keep everyone connected.
For now, the town of Lexington stands resilient as its community unites, sharing what they have, and waiting for help to arrive. With the storm behind them, it’s time to look ahead to recovery and a return to normalcy.
