Governor requests Presidential disaster declaration
By Miranda Del Pozo
Friday, April 10, 2009 at 9:05 p.m.
Read more: Local, State, Community, Environment, Weather, Water Issue, Outdoors, Albany, Flood, Assistance, Damage
Governor Sonny Perdue today requested a Presidential disaster declaration which would lead to federal aid for severe weather and flood damages in 33 Georgia counties.
The Governor says the recent floods in South Georgia have adversely impacted the lives of many Georgians. Governor Perdue also issued an Executive Order today declaring a state of emergency in 17 additional counties affected by heavy rain and severe weather that have passed through Georgia since March 27. The counties are: Appling, Bacon, Brantley, Clinch, Dodge, Dougherty, Echols, Grady, Irwin, Lanier, Montgomery, Pierce, Toombs, Upson, Ware, Wheeler and Wilcox. Previously, 16 counties were included in the State of Emergency orders, including Atkinson, Baker, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks, Calhoun, Coffee, Colquitt, Decatur, Early, Lowndes, Miller, Mitchell, Tift, Turner and Worth. When joint state-federal damage assessments began on April 7, officials determined that more counties needed to be added emergency declaration. The additional counties reported disruptions to a large number of roads, bridges, drainage systems, waste treatment facilities and other crucial infrastructure. Surveys conducted revealed more than 600 homes were damaged during the storms.
For more information visit GEMA's website at www.gema.ga.gov or Fema's website at www.fema.gov.
