Many people unexpectedly found themselves in Atlanta this week after evacuations forced them out of Hurricane Florence's path on the East Coast.
The hurricane is expected to maintain Category 1 strength for the next 24 hours as it moves into South Carolina. The storm made landfall in North Carolina at 7:15 a.m. and weakened slightly a few hours later after moving inland.
Gov. Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency for all of Georgia on Wednesday.
If you’re an evacuee, we wish you were here under better circumstances. However, here are a few tips for riding out what can be a very stressful situation.
• If you're still looking for a place to stay, Airbnb is offering free temporary housing to displaced individuals and relief workers deployed to help between now and Oct. 1. Another option is the Atlanta Motor Speedway, which opened its campgrounds for evacuees.
• Atlanta-based Delta capped fares at $299 each way in coach class for flights to Atlanta from coastal cities in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia said through Sept 16 (some fares may be less). Other airlines have also announced travel advisories.
• Waze, a community-based traffic and navigation app, has a feature that will help evacuees find shelter and evacuation centers. Other websites and apps can help with finding shelter, getting gas or keeping in touch with family and friends.
• Once you're here, many family-friendly attractions are offering free or discounted admissions to people with IDs from impacted areas such as the Carolinas, coastal Georgia and Virginia. Search #AtlantaKindness on social media or peruse this list of nearly 20 attractions.
• Dozens of restaurants, bars and breweries are also offering specials for Hurricane Florence evacuees.
• If you're wondering how the weather is back home, you may be able to get a sense in real-time from these livestreams situated along the Carolina coast. You can also tracker where Hurricane Florence is now.
MORE | Hurricane Florence: Atlanta shelter takes in South Carolina dogs, cats...
MORE | Kennesaw State offers free home-opener tickets to Florence evacuees
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