More than 100 roads in Habersham County were still blocked by trees as of 11:00 Monday morning, according to county spokeswoman Ashlyn Brady.
“At least 50% of these roads have power lines entangled in debris, creating
hazardous conditions,” Brady added. “County road crews have been rotating rest periods throughout the event and remain fully prepared to resume operations.”
Brady said the county is “coordinating closely” with Georgia Power and Habersham Electric Membership Corporation to ensure “safe and efficient” clearing of roadways.
“While travel conditions have improved compared to previous days, roads remain unsafe for public travel. We strongly urge residents to stay off roadways whenever possible while crews prioritize clearing main
thoroughfares first, followed by smaller arterial roads. Many destinations
may still be inaccessible due to blocked routes, downed trees, and active power lines.”
To speed up response in the hardest hit areas, four Georgia Emergency Management Agency-provided
tree crews are assisting in the most severely affected zones. The heaviest
damage occurred from the Orchard area westward to White County and northward to Rabun County, though scattered pockets of damage remain throughout the county.
In addition, salt treatments of school bus routes, arterial roads, and
emergency service stations have been implemented. However, trees must be
cleared from roadways before these routes can be treated.