Richmond Hill Mayor Russ Carpenter said there was "good news" in that "Richmond Place and Mulberry have seen floodwaters begin to recede."

In a video message on social media this afternoon, Carpenter said the city met with several agencies regarding relief efforts for our community. Representatives were here from Georgia Emergency Management Agency, or GEMA, American Red Cross, Bryan County Emergency Management Agency, EOM, and ME Sack Engineering. All of these agencies and others are currently on the ground, accessing needs, and supplying resources, he added.

"We will be deploying pumps received from GEMA as soon as levels allow. These pumps will draw the floodwater down further and we will share that plan later on today as we go through an order of operations and location testing."

"As you know," he added, "White Oak and Live Oak residents and other areas along 144 such as Rushing Street and Carter Street saw severe flooding last night. Our water hydrology engineers explain that these areas are being impacted by the Canochee River, which flows into the Ogeechee River around the I-95 overpass. The Ogeechee will drain first and then allow the Canochee drain, much like a yield lane on the road. This means that these areas will drain much later than the others that have flooded."

Carpenter continued, "We understand that many of you are seeing some minor sewage issues with slow drains and toilet flushes. Please know that our public works department has been working around the clock to pump millions of gallons of floodwater out of our system. This has kept our sewage system operational. Again, this is a changing situation, and, as the waters recede, these issues will get better. With that said, this is a very fluid situation, and things could change. We are still in rescue mode, meaning people are still voluntarily leaving their homes. Once this changes to the recovery phase, we will have a different set of needs. Please continue to pray for those affected, and, as always, we will get through this."

You can listen to the mayor's message on Facebook at this link: https://fb.watch/tW0kL4X0HV/

Earlier story:

The city of Richmond Hill has provided the following Monday morning update regarding flood waters in the area.

𝗛𝘄𝘆 𝟭𝟳: ALL lanes of Highway 17 are closed from The Crossroads (Ford Ave/Hwy 144) to Canebreak Rd. Please follow Georgia DOT - Southeast for updates and guidance on alternate routes.

Please be advised that one lane of Ford Ave / Highway 144 east bound is closed due to standing water from Rushing Street to Clark Street.

Motorists should be prepared to stop and encounter slow flow.

𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Atlantic Waste Services, Inc. is operating on a modified schedule. We will post the modified schedule once it has become available. If you are on a flooded street, please do not place cans out for collection.

𝗗𝗿𝘆 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗵: Dry trash/yard waste collection is currently suspended.

𝗠𝗼𝘀𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹: We are currently creating a plan to control the mosquito population. We also are awaiting a new shipment of mosquito dunks. We will post an update when they are available at City Hall.

𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀: City administrative offices are open to serve you. Please exercise caution when traveling and only if it is safe to do so.

𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: The council meeting has been moved to 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗮𝘁 𝟲 𝗽𝗺. The workshop scheduled for this date has been cancelled.

𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁: The August 13, 2024 court session of the Richmond Hill Municipal Court has been postponed to 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗮𝘁 𝟮:𝟬𝟬 𝗽𝗺. If you have any questions, please contact the court at 912-756-3712.

We want to reassure our community that the water supply has been thoroughly tested and is safe for consumption. There’s no need to worry—your tap water is clean, clear, and ready for you to enjoy.

There are NOT any boil water advisories at this time. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to us at (912) 756-3345.

The flooding in our community is a serious situation, and we are working around the clock to respond. Our first priority is helping those who are requesting assistance in leaving their flooded homes.

Please call 𝗕𝗿𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝟵𝟭𝟭 if you would like to request assistance to voluntarily leave your home.

A dedicated hotline has been set up at (𝟵𝟭𝟮) 𝟳𝟱𝟲-𝟯𝟳𝟰𝟵 for residents to report non-emergency needs or request assistance.

Urgent messages will be sent through CodeRed and local news outlets. (Sign up for CodeRed at: https://bit.ly/CodeREDRH )

When we have specific needs for our residents, we will post them on our social media or send them to local news outlets.

We are continuing our efforts to provide sandbags at the former GDOT lot on Timber Trail, near Port Drive.

We are partnering with First Baptist Church and other area churches to coordinate a Volunteer Central to compile a list of available volunteers and what they would like to volunteer for once we transition from our rescue efforts to rebuilding the Hill. If you are interested in volunteering, please call them at (𝟵𝟭𝟮) 𝟳𝟱𝟲-𝟮𝟭𝟵𝟲.

Donations of non-perishable food, water, and other essentials can be dropped off at 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵, 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝟭𝟲𝟮𝟱𝟮 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟰𝟰

In a post on Facebook, The Bryan County Sheriff's Office said the county continues to experience a high level of flooding. Many roads are still closed at this time. These closures are for your safety!

We are asking everyone to stay away from flooded areas. DO NOT drive around barricades, and please do not attempt to access these areas by foot.

There are many potential dangers associated with flooded areas including fast-moving water, hidden depths, debris, contaminated water, electrical hazards, and displaced wildlife. These are only a few examples. For your safety, please stay away from these flooded areas!

The primary goal of the Bryan County Sheriff's Office is to ensure public safety, maintain order, and support emergency response efforts during this time. While we strive to ensure the safety of all the citizens in our county, we need to focus our efforts on supporting the families in need at this time. Please do not risk your life and ours by entering flooded areas.

Due to flooding, several roads remain impassable at this time. Please know your alternate route and expect travel delays. Give yourself ample time to get where you need to go. Lets support each other and remain positive during this difficult time.