11 deaths in GA, including first responder, after Hurricane Helene. Gov. Kemp gives update

Eleven people died in Georgia, including a first responder, as Hurricane Helene passed through the state Thursday night into Friday morning, Georgia Gov. Kemp said in a press conference Friday.

“I would ask all Georgians, like the Kemp family’s doing, to keep these folks and these communities in your thoughts and prayers,” Kemp said.

The governor reiterated how important it is for residents to heed warnings about staying off the road and to be patient as storm damages persist.

“It’s because we are trying to get to people,” he said. “It is a very dangerous environment, and one of our finest has lost his life trying to save others.”

People trapped in Georgia homes

The deadly storm entered the state as a Category 2 hurricane with Alma registering wind speeds around 100 mph, according to forecasters. Helene shifted its path east , going in a slightly different direction than predicted from Valdosta to Augusta, Kemp said.

This meant communities in that path and to the east of the storm were hard hit, he said, while others on the western side of the state were spared from the brunt of the storm.

Rescue teams from both in and out of Georgia, including the Maryland Search and Rescue team, are working to get into multiple structures with people inside who they cannot communicate with, Kemp said. Teams will have to cut their way inside these buildings, he said.

“Valdosta has identified 115 structures that are heavily damaged that we that we know there are multiple people trapped inside,” Kemp said.

Medical facilities that don’t have power will be prioritized, he said, asking residents to be patient as agencies work to respond. A medical center in Valdosta lost power after a tree fell on its emergency generator.

“We and Georgia Power both responded with an emergency generator,” Kemp said. “And Georgia Power is working hard to get the power back on there.”

Road closures, power outages all across GA

The Georgia Department of Transportation reported 152 road closures across the state Friday. Interstate 16 in Laurens County and Interstate 20 outside of Augusta were closed.

“Crews are actively assessing the damage and working to restore access where it’s safe,” Kemp said.

Generators were being deployed, especially in Valdosta, to help power traffic signals.

Bridges around the state are in good condition, Kemp said, and the port is operational, but limited.

Officials are planning a water release out of Lake Raybun in Raybun County in northeast Georgia because of the flooding.

“We are evacuating folks downstream from that,” Kemp said. “So they’re not cut off from the rest of the community if they don’t leave.”

911 facilities experienced disruptions because of power outages, he said. Georgia has one million meters, and many more customers, that are without power, Kemp said.

“(Utility companies) started going in behind the storm as soon as day broke,” he said. “We remain in constant contact with our utility providers.”

Flooding concerns haven’t gone away

The state has 17 shelters across the state housing 1,100 people. A Coffee County shelter lost its roof, Kemp said, and resources are being deployed to ensure the people there remain safe.

The Red Cross has opened or supported more than 140 shelters for nearly 9,400 individuals across the Southeast in the past two days, Katie Zwerk, regional communications director for the American Red Cross of Georgia , told the Ledger-Enquirer.

“As deadly flooding continues and threatens additional communities, even more people will urgently need our support,” Zwerk said. “Red Cross teams managed 50 of these shelters overnight and supported more than 80 partner shelters with staff and supplies.”

Agriculturally, Helene flattened poultry houses and caused damage to crops and nut trees.

Ahead of the storm, Kemp authorized 500 members of the Georgia Nation Guard and 250 were deployed before Helene made landfall. Another 250 members were deployed, and the governor authorized an additional 1,000 members Friday morning.

“We have 500 in the field as we speak,” Kemp said. “And we’ll call the rest as needed and as requested.”

Chainsaw cut teams, heavy equipment teams and pods for supply distribution are being moved across the state, he said. Teams were working to free up roads and move resources.

Officials were also assessing the damage by air, Kemp said, but it took some time to get helicopters and drones in the air because of the high winds.

It is important for residents to stay off the roads to give responders space to move trucks, equipment and resources. People who want to volunteer to help are encouraged to reach out to their county’s emergency management agency, which can help coordinate. This ensures rescue teams aren’t prevented from reaching people who may be trapped.

“For people in the metro area, it is still very dangerous out there,” Kemp said.

A lot of the loss of life has been caused by fallen trees because of the saturated ground. Even though the wind is dying down, trees were still falling Friday afternoon.

“One fell at the mansion across the driveway after we left this morning,” Kemp said.

The potential for flash flooding should still be a concern, he said, and water will continue to rise for the next 24 to 48 hours, especially in the northern part of the state.

“If you’re out, you need to be weather aware,” Kemp said. “If you don’t have to get out, I would just tell you to try to hunker down at the house or limit your activities if you can.”

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