Governor Brian P. Kemp on Friday joined state and local emergency management officials, local leaders, and others in Savannah to provide an update on the response to damage from Debby. The State of Emergency issued by Governor Kemp has been extended for another seven days through Thursday, August 15, making state resources available to local governments and entities within the impact area. The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) State Operations Center is now at a level 2 partial activation. Teams from the Georgia National Guard, Department of Public Safety, Department of Natural Resources, Georgia Department of Agriculture, and Georgia Department of Transportation are also working closely with affected counties to monitor damage and deploy as needed. The governor and emergency management officials are also coordinating with Georgia's utility providers, who have been responding to any power outages homes and businesses may experience.
“While the worst of Debby has passed, this remains an active situation,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “I'm grateful for all of our first responders, utility providers, and others who have already been in impacted areas ensuring people are safe, roads are passable, and necessary repairs are made. We want to encourage all Georgians affected by the storm to be patient in allowing these men and women to do their work and return communities to full operation."
The Governor and GEMA/HS are strongly encouraging residents to stay off roads. Resident should follow the instructions of local officials. If advised to evacuate, do so immediately. Do not drive around barricades. They are there for your safety. Never drive through standing water. It only takes one foot of water to float a full-sized automobile, and two feet can sweep it away. More than half of flood victims are in vehicles swept away by moving water. Move to higher ground away from rivers, streams, creeks and storm drains. Stay out of floodwaters if possible, as the water may be contaminated or electrically charged. Stay away from downed power lines to avoid the risk of electric shock or electrocution. Visit https://gema.georgia.gov/floods-and-flash-floods for more information on how to get prepared. By being ready and knowing what to do in a disaster, you can minimize risk, reduce the time it takes to recover, and most importantly, reduce the loss of life.
Current Weather Overview:
Debby is currently projected to continue moving northeast as it dissipates. Though rain is no longer falling, rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water will just now be cresting. Debby dropped over a foot of water on much of south and coastal Georgia. Several rivers in Southeast Georgia have active flood warnings which could persist through the weekend. Please continue to monitor forecast updates from the National Hurricane Center, your local National Weather Service office, and reliable media outlets.