Greenwood Community Rallies Amidst Power Outages After Hurricane Helene
Greenwood – The peaceful neighborhood of Plowden Avenue, like many other parts of Greenwood, has been struggling since Thursday evening. Residents have been without power, thanks to the massive trees that took out power lines across the area. Cedar trees that once lined the residential roads are now nothing but broken limbs and debris.
The backyards are unrecognizable after the fierce winds from Hurricane Helene swept through Greenwood County. Since Friday, thousands across the city have been dedicated to a massive cleanup effort. Both residents and city crews have been tirelessly working to clear the blocked road on Plowden Avenue.
Even with all this destruction, the spirit of the community remains unbroken. On a bright note amongst the chaos, a neighborhood cat was spotted leisurely walking around the newly cleared streets, seemingly unfazed by the disaster.
Unforgettable Night of Chaos
The residents went to bed Thursday evening amidst howling winds and pouring rain, only to wake up to the blare of sirens and widespread destruction. An elderly woman, who preferred to remain anonymous, shared her heart-wrenching experience. She has lived on Plowden Avenue and Brannon Street all her life and witnessed many storms over the decades, but this storm, she says, was different.
“I’ve never seen anything like this. Even with Hugo, it had the wind, but it didn’t do the damage. But this was just terrible. The wind was terrible. It really was,” she recalled. “I knew it was bad because the cable was out. The cable lights were out in my room. I tried to look out, but it was so dark I couldn’t see anything. Even with a flashlight, I couldn’t see anything.”
Dawn’s Destruction
Residents woke up to find themselves trapped in a labyrinth of downed trees and power lines. What once were lined streets of proud cedar trees now evolved into a scene of wreckage. “All the trees in my backyard are down. There’s a power line is on my car. There was a line of cedar trees on the back road. They’re all down. There were plum trees across the street, but they were pulled up. Everything’s pulled up,” she lamented.
As the city remains in cleanup overdrive mode, the road in and out of the Plowden neighborhood is finally clear. Yet, the residents are still facing the significant challenge of living without power.
Resilience in the Face of Adversity
Resident efforts have not gone unnoticed as local crews and people, young and old, band together to clear the blockaded roads. “We’re all waiting on power. That’s all I want, so I can get something warm to drink,” expressed one resident.
Hurricane Helene’s fierce impact continued to echo through the community’s way of life. With no power, many residents have found themselves spending more time outdoors, either on their patios or helping their neighbors with cleanup efforts. As one man noted while raking debris, “This took everyone by surprise. No one thought it would be this bad… It’s cooler out here than in our houses, so we’re all outside.”
Despite these trying times, the residents of Greenwood show a resilient spirit, helping each other navigate through the aftermath of such a powerful storm.
Contact Renee Ortiz at 864-943-5643. Follow her on X at: IJReneeOrtiz
