Family loses home, all belongings after flooding from Canoochee River

EVANS COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - People in Evans County are just starting to pick up the pieces, after flooding from the Canoochee River tore through their homes last week.

Many say they are heartbroken, especially because they didn’t have time to prepare.

A Family in Claxton can’t even use their driveway or stay in their house, after floodwater ripped through their home, destroying everything.

“We purchased this house in January. It was meant to be our final retirement destination,” said James Huddleston who lost everything in flooding.

James Huddleston and his wife Alicia are now staying in a motel because their home is unlivable.

“Our refrigerators, our cars were completely submerged up into the engine compartments. We’ve lost everything.”

Home appliances were toppled over, other household items were thrown throughout the house and destroyed. The family says they don’t have flood insurance because they don’t live in a flood zone.

“There’s not a single piece of furniture in there that’s salvageable. And we have to completely replace our entire life that took 30 years to save up for. And that’s the same as anybody else up and down this road.”

Their son has a congenital heart disease, and requires frequent medical attention. Now they’re scared they won’t have any money to help him get treatment.

“If we become homeless or indigent, he dies, and that’s just plain truth, as it is the plain truth that somebody did this.”

Evans County Emergency management director tells WTOC the Canoochee River rose 10 feet overnight, so the dam had to be opened to keep flooding to a minimum.

“If the dam were to fail, it would be a lot more flooding here than what was. And I don’t know that the dam had any direct impact on the flooding that we have here,” said Justin Denton, Evans County EMA Director.

Still, the Huddleston’s and their neighbors that were hit the hardest by this flooding, are left to pick up the pieces.

“These people have lost their homes, and for the most part, their lives, their whole life savings, and everything they’ve done,” said Huddleston.