Aila Boyd
aboyd@mainstreetnewspapers.com
Last week, the remnants of Hurricane Helene swept through Salem, causing widespread flooding, road closures, and power outages. In anticipation of the severe weather, Salem City Public Schools closed on Friday, Sept. 27, prioritizing the safety of students and staff. The decision was made as heavy rain and strong winds were expected to impact the area for 12 to 24 hours, allowing families time to prepare.
By Friday night, the Roanoke River crested at 9:30 p.m., leading to significant flooding throughout the city. Multiple roads were closed due to debris and rising waters, including the Low Water Bridge at Mill Lane. Despite these challenges, city crews worked tirelessly to restore services and reopen roads.
“Once again, the men and women on the frontline did an amazing job. Power was restored to all residents by 5 p.m. on Friday afternoon and that is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the employees at the Electric Department,” said Mike Stevens, communications director for the City of Salem.
Stevens also praised the efforts of the Street Department, stating, “We managed to get all roads back open in the city, including the low water bridge at Mill Lane, by 5 p.m. on Saturday, but that was not an easy task. Members of the Street Department workforce got after it all day Saturday in a muddy mess clearing tons of debris that had washed downstream and into the bridge. They discovered everything from trees to coolers in the cleanup.”
The Salem Electric Department successfully restored power to all affected areas by Friday evening. City workers, particularly those from the Street Department, worked through difficult conditions to reopen roadways.
Meanwhile, the Salem Swiftwater Rescue Team was deployed to assist neighboring communities in Southwest Virginia. “While these folks were taking care of business close to home, members of the Salem Fire & EMS Swiftwater were assisting our neighbors in Southwest Virginia. Our team helped make water rescues in Fries, Wytheville, and Carroll County,” Stevens said.
As of Monday, all roads in Salem have reopened, and power has been fully restored. However, the city urges residents to remain patient as cleanup efforts continue. Residents are asked to limit their time on the Greenway this week to allow crews full access to remove debris, dirt, and sand pushed onto paths by the rising Roanoke River. Ensuring the paths are clear is crucial to maintaining safe conditions for walking, running, and biking.
Additionally, the city asks for patience with brush collection. Clearing debris, including downed limbs, will take time, and residents are reminded to ensure that limbs are no longer than six feet and free of other debris like glass or metal to aid in the collection process.
Although many of the immediate challenges have been addressed, Salem continues to recover from Hurricane Helene. Residents are encouraged to stay informed and to cooperate with city crews as they work to restore normal conditions in the aftermath of the storm.
Photos by Brian Hoffman
