MACON, Ga. — As Tropical Storm Helene continues moving north, emergency management offices are reporting damage across Central Georgia.
13WMAZ will update this story with damage reports and areas to avoid as they come in.
BALDWIN
12:12 p.m. - Georgia Power opened floodgate 3 at Sinclair Dam. They opened the 2nd floodgate at 10:07 a.m.
10:25 a.m. - Baldwin County has about 25 trees down, but none on structures, according to the 13WMAZ Weather Network group.
6:41 a.m. - Baldwin County Emergency Management Agency says "the worst of it has passed over," but urges people to be cautious. They say units are out looking for damage but "initial reports are there is not a lot of road blockages or damages."
BIBB
12:24 p.m. - Macon-Bibb County announced Amerson River park is closed until further notice because of "the significant rise in the Ocmulgee River." In a news release, Parks and Beautification Director Michael Glisson said they are expecting the river to rise to a "dangerous" level.
The National Weather Service projects the river will crest at nearly 30 feet in the next couple of days, one of the highest river crests since the Flood of 1994:
"30 [feet] Major flooding begins. The Macon GreenWay Ocmulgee Heritage Trail will be under 10 feet of water. The water level will be hitting the bottom of the three main bridges in Macon. A few homes on the left bank near Glenridge Drive will begin to flood. Flood waters will be approaching some businesses off of Tuft Springs and Mead Roads in south Macon. Large portions of the Southern Railroad tracks will be inundated. Agricultural lands just east and south of Macon will be flooded up to 12 feet deep."
11:25 a.m. - The county is still working to clear roads that are closed or partially blocked. They have a full list updating in real time.
8:40 a.m. - Several roads are closed across the county, including two lanes of I-75 South at mile marker 160, Rivoli Drive, Azalea Drive at Barrington Place, and Riverside Drive (Herring Drive and Corbin Avenue). The closures are because of trees or power lines down in each spot.
8:39 a.m. - The county has a "REPORT DAMAGE" button on the MBCALERT App. You can report damage there or by calling (833) 535-4362.
BLECKLEY
11:44 a.m. - Bleckley County Emergency Management urges people to take pictures of any property damage an send them to (478) 230-7300 with your name and address.
6:59 a.m. - Bleckley County Fire Department and the county's road department are working to clear roads from downed trees and power lines. Some areas of road are covered with water.
6:28 a.m. - EMA Director Matthew Kelley says trees and power lines down across the county. So far, there are no reported injuries.
CRAWFORD
10:15 a.m. - EMA Director Ricky Sharon says there are no damage report. "Everything is good in Crawford."
CRISP
4:50 a.m. - Sheriff Billy Hancock shared a video message, telling people there are some trees down, "but otherwise, we are good."
DODGE
10:16 a.m. - Highways 17, 81 and 341 are open, and they're working on Highway 165. There's a car wreck on Highway 87 between Eastman and Abbeville.
Highway 280 between Milan and Rhine is still closed, and there's large tree with power lines blocking Highway 117 South before Rhine.
Fire Chief Jamie Wilkinson says assessment teams are out right documenting damage. He estimates 12 homes have minor damage from toppled trees. So far, he hasn't heard of any injuries, but urges people to stay put: "They need to stay in place until we get these trees and power lines handled."
5:21 a.m. - Dodge County Fire Department says "numerous" trees are down countywide. Some are blocking roads tangled in power lines. They recommend staying off the roads to let emergency crews work.
DOOLY
10:24 a.m. - EMA Director Kenny Calhoun says there were a few downed trees, but all roads are clear. "We're counting our blessings this morning," he said.
HANCOCK
10:27 a.m. - EMA Director Mario Chapple says there are lots of trees and power lines down, but roads are open. One home had its roof blown off at Hickory Road and Church Road, and there are a few reports of trees down on houses. There are no storm-related injuries reported, though there were a couple of car accidents, he said.
HOUSTON
9:10 a.m. - North Davis Drive in Perry is closed because of a downed tree, and Brantley Road in Centerville is flooded. The emergency management agency says they're officially shutting down emergency operations. The roads should be cleared sometime Friday.
JOHNSON
3:20 p.m. - Chief Shawn Wombles reminds people to stay away from downed power lines. Most main routes are now open, but there's still "a long way to go" for recovery. He's asking Wrightsville residents to conserve water. One of the city's two water tanks lost all its water early Friday morning because of a broken water main. The city is working to repair the generator for the tower and resolve the problem. Wombles says they'll fix the water main when flood water recedes more. There is no boil water advisory in place.
10:43 a.m. - The fire department says they have crews out trying to get "just about every road in the county" cleared. Highway 319 heading out from Wrightsville toward Dublin is open, along with Highway 57.
There are "a lot" of trees on houses, but only a few people with minor injuries.
6:55 a.m. - Johnson County Emergency Management Agency says there is "a lot of damage and all roads are impassable." They say they'll begin working to clear roads when it's safe.
JONES
5:37 a.m. - Jones County Sheriff Butch Reece reports some downed trees on Cumslo Road, "but should be passable soon." He says avoid Highway 18 at James Street because another tree tangled with power lines is blocking the road.
LAURENS
12:00 p.m. - EMA Director Bill Laird confirmed falling trees claimed two lives in Laurens County. Doug Brownlee, 58, died after a tree fell on his home, and Angela Edwards, 48, died in a semi-truck.
11:49 a.m. - Gov. Brian Kemp says I-16 in Laurens County is closed completely.
10:36 a.m. - Laird says they're working to clear main roads.
6:25 a.m. - Laurens County Emergency Management reports "widespread" damage from trees and power lines across the county. They encourage people to stay at home. They're working to sort out the damage and start to clear blocked roads.
You can report storm damage here.
MACON
10:40 a.m. - Chief Roy Yoder says there are "one or two trees down," but the only road blocked is Highway 49 at the 128 Bypass. He says it should be clear in the next couple of hours. "God looks after fools and babies, and I haven't had a pacifier in years," he said.
MONROE
5:36 a.m. - The county's emergency services department says they only saw a few downed trees. They thanked everyone who helped run their shelters that served "35 people, 14 dogs, and 1 chicken."
PEACH
10:47 a.m. - Chief Ryan Roberts says there were a few downed limbs, but they've been cleared "as fast as they were called in." There was some minor flooding, but none of it affected any roads.
PUTNAM
9:21 a.m. - Putnam County Public Works says they're working to clear storm debris. They say several trees are blocking roadway and require other agencies to approve the removals. They say to avoid the 200 block of Long Shoals Road, Long Shoals Circle, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive near Pea Ridge Road, Sinclair Circle and Winding River Road.
TAYLOR
11 a.m. - EMA Director David Windham says there are a few trees down, but nothing major in Taylor County. All roads are clear and there are no injuries.
TELFAIR
11:04 a.m. - Deputy EMA Director Jimmy Joines says trees and power lines are down across the county. There's no power, internet or phone service across much of the area. He's communicating with staff on the ground over radio, but it's slow going.
He says there's too much structure damage to give an estimate, and the spotty service makes it difficult to get a handle on what's going on. So far, there are no injuries reported. He urges people to stay home and stay safe.
TREUTLEN
11:14 a.m. - EMA Director Justin McNure urges people to stay off the roads because trees are down "everywhere." He says it's nearly impossible to get in or out of the county, or in or out of Soperton.
State agencies are helping county agencies to get roads open for power crews.
So far, he's heard of around 10 houses hit by trees, and four cases of people trapped inside. They're still trying to reach some in that situation. He says there are no major injuries reported.
6:42 a.m. - "We are a mess," McNure told 13WMAZ early Friday morning. He said overnight winds were stronger than expected and left damage across the county. He has several reports of people trapped in homes, but no injuries.
5:07 a.m. - The county emergency management agency reported trees and power lines down countywide, with roads "completely blocked." They urge people to stay off roadways.
TWIGGS
1:44 p.m. - The Twiggs County Sheriff's Office says their non-emergency lines are still down, but 911 services are working fine.
6:00 a.m. - The Twiggs County Sheriff's Office told people to shelter in place. They report many flooded roads and standing water. All non-emergency lines are down, but they can still get 911 calls.
UPSON
11:19 a.m. - EMA Director Richard Hickmon says there were a few trees down, but those have been cleared. There are no injuries reported, and no structural damage, he said.
WASHINGTON
1:34 p.m. - Sheriff Joel Cochran confirmed the two people who died were children—a 4-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl.
12:00 p.m. - 13WMAZ's team in Washington County reports the storm caused traffic snarls and blocked roads like West Church Street. The 242 Connector is blocked by a downed pecan tree. Power lines are down and cell service is spotty.
Two people have died in Washington County related to the storm, according to Sheriff Joel Cochran, but we don't have further details at the moment.
6:00 a.m. - Washington County Emergency Management Agency says the county was hit harder than expected. They said people are trapped in houses, and there are some house fires. The county has also seen downed trees and downed powerlines. "We are overwhelmed, so please stay home and call 911 for emergencies only."
WHEELER
11:41 p.m. Thursday: Wheeler County EMA Director Steve Adams told 13WMAZ strong winds were toppling trees and blocking roadways. Two people died after a suspected tornado hit their mobile home.
WILCOX
11:27 a.m. - EMA Director Larry Brown says there were some trees and power lines down, but those are cleared up. All roads are open, and there are no injuries reported.
WILKINSON
5:50 a.m. - The emergency management agency told 13WMAZ they're catching up on problems around the county, including trees down, roads blocked and power lines down. There are some reports of trees down on homes, but no reported injuries.