ST. SIMONS, Ga. — The entire coast of Georgia is now under a Hurricane Watch as Dorian approaches.
Monday, Governor Brian Kemp toured coastal Georgia, urging residents along the coast to evacuate.
“Given the risk of strong winds and potential flooding in this area, if you decide not to evacuate, I want to be clear, you will be on your own if first responders are unable to reach you,” Kemp warned.
Lifelong St. Simons resident Brandon Johnson plans to hit the road early Tuesday morning, along with his wife and son. In his 35 years, he’s evacuated for every storm.
“It’s like a mini-vacation,” Johnson said.
This latest evacuation order is the third such order in the last four years. Both Matthew in 2016 and Irma in 2017 forced evacuations.
Getting back onto St. Simons can be difficult. The one way on and off the island - the F.J. Torras Causeway - historically floods.
Longtime residents say it can take days, even weeks before the floodwaters recede enough for them to return to their homes.
“If it’s a short duration, that bodes well,"said Glynn County Commissioner Michael Browning. "If it hangs around, like it’s doing in the Bahamas, that’s not so well.”
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