While Hurricane Michael is not expected to bring devastation to our area like Hurricane Florence, the storm will still bring rain, wind and some flooding to low-lying areas.
The Socastee area still recovers from Florence. The Intracoastal Waterway almost flooded up to the roofs of some homes. Michael is not expected to do that, but people said Tuesday that they still don’t want to see any more water.
Calvary Chapel Myrtle Beach and Mercy Chefs volunteers continue to give food and supplies to people recovering. They have tents set up on the side of Socastee Boulevard.
They have served thousands of people over the last three weeks; they served 250 lunches and 300 dinners Monday.
Some people whose homes were destroyed are still not able to get back inside of those homes.
“My heart breaks for these people that are just now getting into their homes, seeing the devastation, starting to muck out,” Ron Dozler, Senior Pastor at Calvary Chapel, said. “We have teams that have been going into homes and doing that, and now they’re gonna have more water, more rain, more wind right, so I just think that people are weary right now.”
Ana Suazo relies on hot meals from the volunteers after being displaced by Hurricane Florence. “They’ve been a blessing for these people,” she said.
Her home in the Rosewood neighborhood was destroyed, so she said Michael can’t really do more damage.
“It’s no matter how worse the water comes, you know, the house is already gone.”
Soggy belongings have lined the sides of Rosewood Drive all week as people work to gut their homes.
“It’s tragic that the people in the Carolinas are facing what they are,” Lisa Saylor, Managing Chef at Mercy Chefs, said. “I’m sure that there’s a great amount of just apprehension about what’s coming. I know that we’ve met many many people right now that are still displaced that actually still have flooding in their homes.”
Dozler said there is a noticeable weariness to people who live in Socastee.
“You can see that they’re just spent. Everybody just needs a disaster vacation,” he said. “I think people need hope, and they need to know that people love them and care for them, and that’s why we’re here.”
Mercy Chefs and Calvary Chapel church plan to set up their tents through next Friday or Saturday. However, they will close down this Thursday when the effects of Hurricane Michael are supposed to be the worst.
They will send bags of food home Wednesday with anyone who needs them.