Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency Friday in 23 counties swamped by flooding rainstorms that caused rivers to overflow, left many roads underwater and in some areas prompted first responders to rescue residents whose homes were surrounded by water.
Kemp’s order frees up state resources to assist communities inundated with rain Wednesday and Thursday across a wide swath of southern Georgia. The downpours struck some of the same areas still recovering from Hurricane Helene’s damaging winds in September as well as flooding from Tropical Storm Debby in August. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
Rural Evans County saw more than 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain over two days, and first responders in boats rescued people on Friday in low-lying areas along the Canoochee River near Claxton, WTOC-TV reported. The National Weather Service said the river was forecast to crest at a record 18.7 feet (5.7 meters) Friday night.
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