(Cleveland)- ALL Weather Warnings and Watches have been cancelled for Northeast Georgia. The National Weather Service says Irma has now weakened to a Tropical Depression resulting in the cancellation of all warnings across the area.
There remains a low threat of flooding and some strong winds that could bring down some additional trees. Don Strength, Deputy Director for White County Emergency Management Agency said this morning, ” there are numerous trees with powerlines involved all over the entire county.”
Public works and other are having a difficult time clearing up the downed trees because they have to wait for power crews to make the area safe. That task is going to take a long time to complete because of the total number of trees down and power customers affected by this storm.
Nicole Dover, spokesperson with Habersham Electric Members Corporation said, the majority of the 34-thousand customers in their system were without power this morning. Crews have been working to reduce that number, but it’s been slow. At last report there were still 21-thousand customers who remained without power. It will take days before everyone is back on line.
In the city of Cleveland, Mayor Shan Ash is asking water customers to conserve water because power is out at a couple of wells that supply water.
A declaration of a State of Emergency has been issued because of the severity of the situation locally.
Law enforcement and public safety officials ask that people stay off the roadways because you are interfering with the recovery operation. Also stay off your cell phones because of the service that is available is being overloaded and emergency personnel are not able to use that service to serve you.
There is a major fiber optic line that is down and that has caused disruption of internet service to a large number of customers.
