By David Williams
Independent-Mail
September 17, 2004

SENECA — The remnants of Hurricane Ivan left behind major destruction and many fearful residents in Oconee County Friday.

Elaine McMurray was one of several Cooper Road residents unable to return to her home on the Tugaloo River after rising waters washed out the road and damaged some homes and cars.

"I couldn’t get back, I tried," Ms. McMurray said as she was comforted by her mother, Jewel Haynie, also a resident of the Cooper Road community. For Ms. McMurray it was a triple blow: she’d lost her home to a flood in 1995, then her home burned two years ago.

Officials said it could be a couple of days before the community is completely accessible.

Rescue squads from throughout Oconee County were called to Walker Creek landing on the Georgia side of the Tugaloo River in anticipation of having to evacuate stranded residents by water.

However, the fast rising waters eliminated that operation and the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office helicopter was called in to evaluate the situation. By midafternoon all the residents of the Cooper Road area were accounted for, with some electing to stay in their homes and the others unable to return.

About a dozen students and staff members at the Cherokee Creek Boys School also elected to stay until the river subsides and damage to Cooper Road can be evaluated.

Allen Morehead, reached by phone, said he elected to stay behind even though the water was at his doorstep.

"The water is receding a little bit, and as long as I got power, I don’t know how, but I’m staying," Mr. Morehead said. "We have a camper and if we have to, we will move to higher ground."

Donald Woody said when the water around his house reached about 8-feet deep, he decided to drive out of the riverfront community.

"The water got about halfway up the door of the truck and it floated," Mr. Woody said. "I put it in four-wheel drive and it was like a boat for awhile until it pulled on out."

Ann McIntyre, the first resident taken out by helicopter, said she felt sorry for a dog stranded on a front porch, but she had power and left only because of the urging of relatives.

Helicopter crewmembers went door to door checking on many of the residents. The Anderson Fire Department’s Technical Rescue Team searched 15 houses and one vehicle that were underwater.

School was canceled in Oconee County Friday and Pickens County had a two-hour delayed start.

Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative reported 13,700 customers were without power with the majority in Oconee County, where a tornado struck the Westminster substation.

"We’re hopeful the circuits will be energized within the next two hours," cooperative communications manager Terry Ballenger said at 5 p.m. "The important thing is everybody is safe and we are thankful for that."

There were no main circuits out in Pickens County and hundreds of scattered outages were reported throughout Blue Ridge’s Upstate territory.

A spokeswoman for the Oconee County Emergency Management Office said some county roads remained closed, but all major roads were open.

David Williams can be reached at (864) 882-0522 or by e-mail at williamsde@IndependentMail.com.