National

President Obama declares state of emergency in Georgia as Hurricane Matthew nears

By Tony Pugh

tpugh@mcclatchydc.com

October 07, 2016 11:10 AM

Ed Alexander, owner of Dixie Pedaled golf cart rental, removes the plastic windshield from one of his golf carts in preparation for Hurricane Matthew, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016, on Tybee Island, Ga.
Ed Alexander, owner of Dixie Pedaled golf cart rental, removes the plastic windshield from one of his golf carts in preparation for Hurricane Matthew, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016, on Tybee Island, Ga. Stephen B. Morton AP
Ed Alexander, owner of Dixie Pedaled golf cart rental, removes the plastic windshield from one of his golf carts in preparation for Hurricane Matthew, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016, on Tybee Island, Ga. Stephen B. Morton AP
WASHINGTON

President Obama declared a state of emergency in Georgia late Thursday night, freeing up federal aid to help state and local governments respond to Hurricane Matthew.

The declaration authorizes the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to manage disaster relief efforts and assist with emergency measures in 30 southeastern Georgia counties where Gov. Nathan Deal had already declared a state of emergency.

Those counties are: Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Brantley, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Clinch, Coffee, Echols, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans, Glynn, Jeff Davis, Jenkins, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Pierce, Screven, Tattnall, Toombs, Treutlen, Ware and Wayne.

Big waves lapped against the shore of Jensen Beach as Hurricane Matthew approached Florida's east coast in the early hours of Friday. Forecasters warned the Category 4 storm could bring a storm surge and winds of up 120 mph to coastal communities

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Deal has already ordered more than 500,000 people to evacuate Bryan, Chatham, Liberty, McIntosh, Glynn and Camden counties on Georgia’s eastern coastline, where heavy rainfall and storm surge are expected to cause flooding.

He’s urging voluntary evacuations for 100,000 people in low-lying areas west of Interstate 95.

A crew from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration provided a first-hand look into the eye of Hurricane Matthew with a video they shot on Friday, October 7, 2016.

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Tony Pugh: 202-383-6013, @TonyPughDC

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