As Tropical Storm Elsa headed up the coast Wednesday afternoon, Georgia started to prepare for its impact.
Gov. Brian Kemp has issued a state of emergency for 92 of the 159 counties in the state. Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect for all Georgia coastal counties as well as Long County. Tropical Storm Warnings are also in effect for all coastal marine areas.
Elsa's maximum sustained winds had diminished from 65 mph to 50 mph as it traveled across Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center's 2 p.m. EDT update. From its location about 100 miles west of Jacksonville, the storm was expected to follow a steady path north and have an impact all the way up the Eastern Seaboard the rest of the week.
Flash flooding and isolated rain totals up to 5 inches are possible as far north as the New England states. Tornadoes may also develop from the southeastern U.S. up to Virginia on Wednesday and Thursday.
Kemp issues a state of emergency
Kemp declared a state of emergency late Tuesday affecting 92 counties in middle, south and southeast Georgia, including all coastal counties, in preparation for the impacts of Tropical Storm Elsa. The order anticipates the possibility of impassable roads and power outages due to the storm.
The order extends through July 14.
What counties are under a state of emergency in GA?
Georgia counties under the state of emergency include:
Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Baker, Baldwin, Ben Hill, Berrien, Bibb, Bleckley, Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Calhoun, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Chattahoochee, Clay, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Cook, Crawford, Crisp, Decatur, Dodge, Dooly, Dougherty, Early, Echols, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans, Glascock, Glynn, Grady, Hancock, Houston, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Jones, Lanier, Laurens, Lee, Liberty, Long, Lowndes, Macon, Marion, McDuffie, McIntosh, Miller, Mitchell, Montgomery, Muscogee, Peach, Pierce, Pulaski, Quitman, Randolph, Richmond, Schley, Screven, Seminole, Stewart, Sumter, Tattnall, Taylor, Telfair, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Toombs, Treutlen, Turner, Twiggs, Ware, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Wheeler, Wilcox, Wilkinson and Worth.
What does state of emergency mean?
A state of emergency is put into effect when a disaster has occurred or an event that might be severe enough to need aid or drastic action, a state can make a declaration of emergency. In this case, Georgia made one as Elsa looms.
By enacting a state of emergency it authorizes the official to speed up assistance to communities and make resources available to whoever needs them. In this case it also restricts price gouging and lifts some restrictions on trucking to allow for emergency response.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Kemp issues state of emergency in Georgia as Elsa nears. See what counties are impacted
The Latest
Featured
