In the aftermath of devastating floods — which have been called the worst in recent Georgia history — many Georgians are left trying to salvage the remains of their belongings and leaving what was lost to start anew.
Hundreds of Atlanta-area residents were evacuated and sent to shelters, many of them having lost everything. Some of those flood victims are from the SCAD community.
According to Art Malloy, dean of student success, six SCAD students and one professor and one custodial/maintenance staff member were displaced from their homes or apartments and suffered significant property losses.
Among the displaced is third-year fashion student Chrishan Catchings, who is also a Hurricane Katrina survivor.
“I relived a nightmare, [since] I experienced Hurricane Katrina only four years ago,” Catchings said. “I lost almost everything but the clothes on my back the day it happened.
“The fact that I lost most of my belongings was not what struck me the most, but the fact that I had to start over from scratch, once again,” she said. “Katrina was already a hassle for my family and me. To go through it twice put me in a deep depression. I could not believe that I had to go through this once again.”
Fourth-year fashion marketing and management student Lauren Driskill had to move when her apartment complex was damaged in the flooding.
“We have lost access to our homes since the flood happened on September 21,” Driskill said. “I was lucky to not have been there the night it happened because many of the cars were totaled from flood damage, and everyone had to be evacuated the following day.
“It’s been hard to move again and a challenge to find a place to live on such a short notice. I am lucky to have been on the second level, and there are people that have had much worse off than I. So I am thankful for that.”
The high waters also forced fashion design professor Kimberly Irwin out of her home.
“I lost all of my furniture due to water damage and anything I didn’t get off of the floor,” Irwin said. “This included any electronics that were still plugged into outlets.
“I felt helpless. There was nothing anyone could do to stop it, so I had to get what I could and leave the rest behind,” she said. “The worst part was after the flood and the fire department had not allowed us to go back yet. And I just wondered what was left.”
Gov. Sonny Perdue declared a state of emergency in 17 flood-stricken counties, and State Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine estimated $250 million in flood losses. Many of the affected homeowners, though, didn’t have flood insurance.
According to a news release, President Obama assured Purdue that Georgia’s request for federal aid would receive prompt attention.
Many organizations, including SCAD and the Red Cross have pitched in to help those affected by the flood.
Malloy asks all who are able to join the relief efforts.