PIKE COUNTY, Ohio — At Lake White in Pike County, several residents are anxiously waiting for their power to return.
It's been three days since the remnants of Hurricane Helene swept through the region, causing damage and widespread outages.
“I have been making coffee in the morning with charcoal. I light the pan up to heat me up some water and that is how we are cooking and eating too. It has been a struggle. I will be happy when it comes back on,” said resident Curtis Rummage.
AEP Ohio estimates to have power restored by Tuesday at 11 p.m. in areas impacted by Friday’s weather.
“Damage was extensive following the storm and, particularly in southern Ohio, the terrain has made it difficult for crews to reach our equipment,” an AEP Ohio spokesperson said.
Rummage is on a fixed income and had just stocked up on groceries before the storm. His landlords got him an extension cord on Monday to plug in his deep freezer.
“We put the meat in one deep freezer and there is almost $800 in meat from what we saved up last night and I was worried, I mean that is a lot of money coming out of our pocket with us not having anywhere to return it," he said. “Our food stamps hit on the 18th so if all my food is gone, what am I gonna eat?”
He was home Friday night at Pirate Cove Mobile Home Park when water started making its way to the front door. Pike County officials said the floodgate intended to control the water from Lake White did not open.
“It was really bad. It scared me,” Rummage said.
His neighbor, Evan Brown, has to replace his carpet.
“Luckily I had everything off the ground. I had all the guitars off the ground and I had all my amps, so luckily I prepared well enough not even knowing I had to prepare,” he said.
Paul Pollard, who owns the property, was helping his residents to clean up on Monday. He estimates it could take several weeks.
“It could have been a lot worse, but we still have damage,” he said.
Farther south in Scioto County, county leaders declared a state of emergency.
RELATED: State of emergency declared in Scioto County after Helene remnants left areas flooded, damaged
Pike County officials are considering doing something similar but said it could take days to survey the extent of the damage across the rural county.