In October 2024, Hurricane Helene cut a swath of devastation through parts of the Florida Big Bend on its way north through south Georgia before unleashing deadly floods in the North Carolina mountain communities.

On its way, Helene tormented Valdosta residents. That weather system marked the third storm to hit the Azalea City in 13 months. Before that it was Hurricane Idalia in September 2023 with winds of 75 miles an hour. Tropical Storm Debby was mostly a rain event dumping 3-6 inches of precipitation on the city in a short period of time.

Strong winds and heavy rains from the tropical weather systems damaged homes and disrupted lives. Even as residents were trying to put the pieces together, some neighborhoods were inundated during what residents call a biblical flood a day after the November 2024 elections.

Valdosta sits in southern Georgia along the I-75 corridor before the highway enters north Florida. 

Demographically, Valdosta is majority black. African Americans make up more than 55 percent of the city’s more than 55,000 residents. The financial plight f those hit hard by extreme weather is compounded by their economic status. Valdosta has a median household income of $41,365, which is just 57 percent of the state Georgia average.

As extreme weather events increase in frequency, Valdosta’s black residents are trying to find ways to survive and thrive.

The voices you hear are theirs. These are their stories.