VALDOSTA — Lowndes County officials said Tuesday that there were no reported storm-related injuries in the county as Tropical Storm Debby passed through the day before.
They’re hoping it stays that way.
The county sent out a press release Tuesday on behalf of Emergency Management Director Ashley Tye, urging residents to stay safe during cleanup.
The release warned of continued light rain and winds of 20 miles per hour with gusts as high as 30 mph.
“While this should not be catastrophic, residents need to be aware that it could result in some additional trees and limbs falling, especially in places that were weakened by the storm and are just barely holding on,” it said. “Residents should be mindful of their surroundings so no one gets injured by falling debris.”
That’s not the only danger, though.
“As people begin to get out and move around, they are encouraged to use extra caution as there could still be roads covered with water, water could have undermined roads (especially dirt roads), or there could still be trees across roads that crews either haven’t cleared or have not been reported yet,” the county’s release said.
Safety concerns should be top of mind.
“Most fatalities and injuries happen after severe weather events,” the county said. “We encourage all residents to practice chainsaw safety. When operating a chainsaw, it is important to wear proper protective clothing and glasses, choose the proper size of chainsaw to match the job, operate, adjust, and maintain the saw according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and check around the tree or pole for hazards, such as nails, power lines, or cables, before cutting.”
Utility companies are working to restore electricity that was knocked out by the storm.
According to online outage maps late Tuesday afternoon, Georgia Power still has 673 Lowndes County customers without service, and Colquitt EMC has 13,180 customers served by its Valdosta office who don’t have service. Both numbers are down significantly from their peaks on Monday and are expected to continue to fall after the arrival of additional work crews on Tuesday.
“Residents are encouraged, for safety reasons, to refrain from attempting to address utility lines themselves,” the county warned. “Downed lines are very dangerous and should be considered live until addressed by power personnel.”
The release also urged residents using generators to exercise caution. Ventilation is key.