Storms claim at least 11 lives in South Georgia
Published 1:31 pm Sunday, January 22, 2017
MOULTRIE, Ga. — A storm system that spawned tornadoes that caused more than a dozen deaths Saturday night in nearby counties is not done with the area yet, with another round of severe weather moving east.
Colquitt County escaped the twisters that ripped through the region that reportedly killed at least seven people at a mobile home park outside Adel, two in Brooks County and two in Berrien County. Officials were keeping an eye on the system that was expected to be active through the evening. Emergency management officials will make a decision later today on whether to cancel school on Monday.
“Right now we’re in a little lull,” said Colquitt County Emergency Management Director Russell Moody. “We’re not out of the woods yet.”
As of 1 p.m. no roads had been closed and there had not been a significant number of trees felled overnight. Emergency workers are assessing the roadways
that have been swamped by heavy rainfall.
“We’re starting to get some roads that are deteriorating,” Moody said. “All the roads are open right now.”
Colquitt is one of seven South Georgia counties in a state of emergency declared by Gov. Nathan Deal Sunday morning.
Moody advised people to stay at home as more severe weather is expected through about 7 p.m. As of 1:15 p.m. the National Weather Service Office in Tallahassee showed severe weather stretching as far west as Troy, Ala., and to the southwest of Panama City, Fla. The entire region is under a tornado watch, with severe thunderstorms also active near the Alabama line.
