THOMASVILLE — A crew of five Thomasville Utilities linemen were set to respond to Hurricane Florence’s wrath by going to New Bern, North Carolina, to render aid.

However, plans might change.

“We’re keeping an eye on the weather,” Chris White, assistant city utilities assistant, said Thursday morning.

If inclement weather appears headed toward Southwest Georgia, the TU crew will not go to North Carolina. Whether the linemen go to North Carolina will be decided Friday or Saturday.

Electric Cities of Georgia and Electric Cities of North Carolina are communicating about the storm, its location and damage.

New Bern is on the banks of the Neuse River. White said that if the town experiences a storm surge and flooding, electric crews would not be able to get into the city and would be directed elsewhere.

Storm-ravaged areas could be without power for several weeks, said Keith Bass, city interim utilities superintendent.

In some areas, he said, power connections will not be possible because structures are damaged, destroyed or washed away.

Sometimes in such situations, structures are never repaired or rebuilt, said Bass, former Electric Cities of Georgia executive director.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820