Acting on a recommendation from the state’s Emergency Operations Command in anticipation of Hurricane Matthew, Gov. Nathan Deal today issued a mandatory evacuation east of Interstate 95 for six coastal counties. The voluntary evacuation request, issued yesterday, remains in effect for residents west of I-95 in those counties.
The six coastal counties include:
Bryan, Chatham, Liberty, McIntosh, Glynn and Camden.
(Governor Deal issued a State of Emergency (SOE) for 30 counties yesterday. Here are the links to the press release and executive order for your reference.)
“The National Hurricane Center predicts Hurricane Matthew will intensify as it moves from the Bahamas up the Florida Coast,” said Deal. “As a result, I am now ordering a mandatory evacuation for areas east of Interstate-95. I also encourage the voluntary evacuation of residents in low-lying, coastal areas west of I-95. Shelters are opening now in these areas. To assist Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMHSA) Director Jim Butterworth in coordinating and implementing traffic flow preparations, I’ve activated 45 members of the Georgia National Guard. They will assist state and local public safety and transportation officials. I urge Georgians in the affected areas to remain calm, be prepared and make informed, responsible decisions as we continue to monitor Hurricane Matthew’s path.”
Maps of shelters are being constantly updated. An updated map of shelters is available here.
An evacuation map and a shelter map are attached. For more information on locating a facility, call your local authorities, download the Ready Georgia app or visit GEMHSA’s website. There is also information about shelters available on the American Red Cross website.
Gov. Deal will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. today to provide weather and preparedness updates. Watch live here.
For Hurricane Matthew updates or more information on preparedness efforts, contact Catherine Howden at GEMHSA or visit www.gema.ga.gov.
