Hurricane Dorian continues to move toward Georgia, threatening the coast with storm surge and strong winds.

Hurricane Dorian continues to move toward Georgia, threatening the coast with storm surge and strong winds.

Gov. Brian Kemp has expanded the state of emergency to nine more counties ahead of Hurricane Dorian’s arrival near the Georgia coast.

A state of emergency now exists in Appling, Bacon, Bulloch, Clinch, Echols, Evans, Screven, Tattnall and Ware counties.

 

Last Thursday, a state of emergency was declared in Brantley, Bryan, Camden, Charlton, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Pierce and Wayne counties.

While Dorian’s precise path and speed have remained uncertain over last week, state officials have taken a “better safe than sorry” approach, issuing evacuation orders for residents east of Interstate 95 on Monday and reversing traffic flow on Interstate 16 on Tuesday.

In multiple briefings throughout the week, the message from Kemp and other officials has remained the same: heed the evacuation order while you can, and do not underestimate this storm.

RELATED: Evacuation Pace Slow Despite Mandatory Order

“I'm hopeful that a lot of people are just waiting to leave tonight or first thing in the morning if they're doing that,” he said Tuesday afternoon. “You know, I would urge them to get out early before this thing hits.”

The biggest threat to coastal Georgia, especially low-lying land and the barrier islands, is flooding from storm surge and tropical-storm force winds.

The governor will hold a briefing with emergency officials and the acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency at noon Wednesday.

Tags: Hurricane Dorian  Brian Kemp  Atlanta  Georgia  Macon  Savannah