Governor Brian Kemp of Georgia took action on Friday by declaring a state of emergency in 23 counties affected by severe flooding from recent rainstorms. The intense rainfall caused rivers to rise, inundating numerous roads and resulting in first responders conducting rescue operations for residents trapped in waterlogged homes.
The emergency declaration enables state resources to be mobilized to support communities battered by heavy rain that fell on Wednesday and Thursday throughout a significant portion of southern Georgia. Some of the regions impacted were still in recovery from Hurricane Helene’s winds in September and the flooding caused by Tropical Storm Debby in August. Fortunately, there have been no immediate reports of injuries associated with the flooding.
In rural Evans County, over 10 inches (approximately 25 centimeters) of rain accumulated in just 48 hours, prompting boat rescues by first responders in lower areas near the Canoochee River in Claxton, as reported by local news source WTOC-TV. The National Weather Service projected that the river would peak at a record height of 18.7 feet (around 5.7 meters) on Friday evening.
Further impacting the region, Valdosta, situated near the Georgia-Florida border, recorded more than 12 inches (around 30 centimeters) of rainfall, leading to substantial flooding that rendered many roads unusable and caused school closures, according to The Valdosta Daily Times.
Additionally, Savannah experienced nearly 9 inches (about 23 centimeters) of rain that overwhelmed local storm drainage systems, leading to stalled vehicles on flooded streets. West of the city, authorities were compelled to close the westbound lanes of Interstate 16 near Statesboro due to water accumulation blocking the roadway on Thursday.
