Savannah Mayor Van Johnson and other members of the Savannah-area emergency management leadership team implored local residents to take Hurricane Idalia seriously during a 10 a.m. news conference.
Due in part to Idalia’s approach from the southwest, Chatham and other coastal Georgia counties decided against issuing evacuation orders. Savannah city officials likewise declined to impose a curfew, although Johnson and the Chatham Emergency Management Agency Director Dennis Jones asked citizens to stay off the streets.
“The threat is real,” Jones said. “f you don’t have to be outside, don’t be outside.”
Tourism activities, such as Historic District tours, will be suspended at noon, said Savannah Manager Jay Melder. The city will open a safety center at the Savannah Cultural Arts Center from noon until 8 p.m. with basic supplies.
“All year long we prepare, we coordinate, we plan,” Mayor Johnson said. “Now we execute on that plan.”
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