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In this U.S. Army handout, Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, prepare for Hurricane Irma, September 8, 2017 at Fort Stewart, Georgia.
As Hurricane Irma punished Florida with blistering 130 mph wind and flooding that turned streets into rivers, Georgia appeared to be the next state in the monster storm’s sights.
Forecasters said Irma could hit southwestern Georgia by Monday afternoon. The storm could bring up to 20 inches in southeast Georgia, according to the National Weather Service, which warned that significant river flooding was possible Monday and Tuesday.
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal on Sunday added 65 counties to his previous state of emergency declaration, which now encompasses the entire state.
I’ve expanded the state of emergency to include all 159 counties in GA. Read more: http://ow.ly/n6yp30f2TUC
State government offices were ordered to stay closed Monday and Tuesday for all employees except essential personnel. The governor ordered the evacuation of all people east of Interstate 95.
“The network of rural roads may be rendered impassable throughout the state of Georgia, isolating residences and farms from access to public services,” the governor said Sunday.
The disruptions from Irma could be felt far from the state if it disrupts travel at the world’s busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International. Nearly 2,500 planes take off and land every day from the airport, which is Delta Air Lines’ main hub.
More than 104 million travelers last year passed through the airport last year, according to Airports Council International.
