COLUMBIA COUNTY, Fla. – Columbia County was the only Northeast Florida county under a hurricane warning for Helene and it suffered the brunt of our local damage.
Even as the county was still recovering from Hurricane Debby last month, Hurricane Helene roared ashore in the Big Bend as a catastrophic Category 4 storm with hurricane-force winds extending dozens of miles from the center.
Our News4JAX crew spotted large chunks of a roof covering a roadway in downtown Lake City early Friday morning. The roof had ripped off an abandoned building, flying onto North Marion Avenue and damaging at least one vehicle in the road.
The damaged building is across from an old theater downtown, a couple of blocks from City Hall.
Lake City police said no injuries were reported but the street will be closed for a while until all the debris can be removed.
Our crew said debris and downed trees were a common sight as they were maneuvering carefully around the county.
As of 4 a.m., Columbia County officials were asking residents to stay off the roads until the winds die down, saying deputies won’t be able to respond to help anyone until conditions improve.
Columbia County commissioners had warned residents to be ready for rain, strong winds and power outages.
US 441 at Sunnybrook Street was closed Friday morning because of debris.
County residents urged residents to only call 911 if they have a true emergency, so dispatchers don’t become overwhelmed.
For anything that is not an emergency or even if you just have a question, residents should call the Citizens Information Center at 386-719-7530, which will be open 24 hours a day moving forward.
Downed trees and power lines are making travel tough across the state and the damage worsens the further west in Florida you are.
The county has five shelters open:
- Deep Creek Community Center
- Winfield Community Center
- Westside Elementary School -- which will be for those with special needs and their caregivers only
- Fort White High School
- Richardson Community Center
There is also a pet shelter available, just for pets. The vacant building at the intersection of Leon and Franklin streets was converted into a pet shelter. Pets will need vaccination/shot records, food and owners are asked to bring their own kennels if possible.
The county got a shipment of 60 kennels to use at the shelter. Owners will NOT be allowed to stay with their pets.