(GEORGIA NEWS NETWORK) – The death toll in Georgia from Hurricane Helene is now at least 11, Gov. Brian Kemp announced at a late morning briefing Friday.
Complete details on each of the fatalities were not immediately available.
Kemp also said 1,300 traffic signals are out across the state, there are no reports of damage to bridges, and the ports on the state’s coast remain operational in a limited capacity.
He reminded residents to expect flooding for the next 24 to 48 hours and be patient as linemen work to restore power. Kemp advises Georgians who want to help with clean-up efforts to contact their local emergency management office to volunteer so you don’t get in the way of other crews and their work.
And he said the dangers are not over. Several parts of Metro Atlanta, for instance, have been under a Flood Emergency because of massive flooding.
President Biden says he’s spent hours with FEMA to ensure local officials have the necessary support and resources to handle the storm.
More than 1,000 federal personnel have been deployed to areas of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Alabama, including search and rescue teams, and medical staff.