Gov. Deal Sees Long Recovery Ahead After Irma
Gov. Nathan Deal speaks to reporters after landing at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport. He flew around Georgia on Thursday, looking at Irma’s impact on the state.
STEPHANNIE STOKES / WABE
Gov. Nathan Deal flew around the state Thursday to see the impact of Irma firsthand.
He visited parts of northeast Georgia and the coast, two of the areas hit hardest by the storm. He noted the number of downed trees and the power lines that came down with them.
He said there’s no estimate for when power in the state will be back on for everyone.
“The volume of the downed power lines is just so huge that it’s going to take a while to get everybody restored,” Deal said.
There also aren’t any projections for the cost of the storm yet. Federal Emergency Management Agency teams are arriving Friday to assess the impact.
Deal said the federal government will cover 75 percent of the cost of the cleanup.
Historically, the state and local jurisdictions have shared the remaining 25 percent. But this time, Deal said the state plans to pay the local share, too.
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