Georgia is under a state of emergency following severe storms and a tornado that swept through the state Sunday morning.
After a rash of violent storms killed 26 people in the South over the weekend, the National Weather Service in Atlanta said a new “large and extremely dangerous tornado” struck Sunday south of LaGrange, Georgia.
No fatalities were immediately reported, but the storm injured at least three people.
“I have issued a State of Emergency order following the severe storms and tornadoes that struck this morning,” Gov. Kemp tweeted. “As we continue to monitor the weather and work with local partners to address damage throughout the day, I ask all Georgians to join us in praying for those impacted.”
The governor’s order will allow the state to bring in any additional resources needed for recovery and cleanup efforts.
You can read the full order here.
I have issued a State of Emergency order following the severe storms and tornadoes that struck this morning.
As we continue to monitor the weather and work with local partners to address damage throughout the day, I ask all Georgians to join us in praying for those impacted. pic.twitter.com/GhDLU6g80u
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) March 26, 2023
A Troup County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson told reporters that anywhere between 80 and 100 structures were damaged, with around 30 of them sustaining major damage.
The tornado shut down parts of Interstate 85 and Highway 185 in West Georgia.
During the storm, two tigers escaped from enclosures at a safari park in Pine Mountain. “Both have now been found, tranquilized and safely returned to a secure enclosure,” Wild Animal Safari said Sunday on Facebook.
Kemp’s emergency order temporarily lifts the limits on truck drivers’ hours, allowing them to haul necessary supplies to the storm-damaged areas.
The state of emergency is set to expire on April 3 unless the governor renews it.
Early Sunday, President Joe Biden approved a disaster declaration for parts of Mississippi after tornado-spawning storms shredded homes and killed 26 people.
First light revealing the destruction in Rolling Fork, MS #MSwx pic.twitter.com/9q5QX2wF4F
— Aaron Rigsby (@AaronRigsbyOSC) March 25, 2023
At least 10 confirmed tornadoes struck Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee on Friday night, according to several National Weather Service offices.
