Local
Isaias leaves Georgia facing outages, flooded roads and transit delays
More than 100,000 customers were without power statewide Saturday as Isaias weakened but continued to bring strong winds and flood risks. Fallen trees disrupted MARTA service and blocked roads in several counties.
More than 100,000 Georgia customers were without electricity Saturday as post-tropical cyclone Isaias moved through the state, with officials warning that heavy rain, falling trees and localized flash flooding could continue into the night.
Georgia Power said crews were responding to outages and downed lines across the state. The utility urged residents to stay clear of fallen power lines and to move over a lane when passing roadside repair crews. Earlier Saturday, Georgia Power and electric membership cooperatives had reported a combined 83,000 customers without power.
The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency said central and North Georgia could still see heavy rain and localized flash flooding. The entire state was under a flood watch through Sunday morning. Forecasters expected 2 to 4 inches of rain statewide, with isolated totals reaching 8 inches, and wind gusts generally between 35 and 45 mph, with some as strong as 60 mph.
Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, late Friday as a Category 2 hurricane, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and storm surge. The National Weather Service later downgraded it to a post-tropical cyclone. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp had declared a state of emergency Thursday, authorizing the use of up to 500 National Guard troops if needed. On Saturday, Kemp said he spoke with FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton about coordinating a response.
Storm damage disrupted transit and road travel. MARTA trains were stopping at Avondale Station while crews cleared trees near Kensington Station on the Blue Line; shuttle buses were running between Avondale, Kensington and Indian Creek. Two bus routes were detoured because of fallen trees, while earlier obstructions near Bankhead, Chamblee and Lenox stations had been cleared.
No major road incidents had been reported in metro Atlanta, but fallen trees were blocking or interfering with roads and power lines in Coweta, Jones, Monroe and Pickens counties. Drivers can check conditions or report debris through Georgia’s 511 service.
The storm also affected travel and weekend events. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport activated its emergency operations center, and Delta canceled more than 20 Saturday flights to or from the airport, with additional cancellations possible if the storm’s path or speed changed. Atlanta Pride canceled its official Saturday programming; organizers planned to proceed with Sunday events, including the parade, if weather and safety conditions allowed.