Episode Details

On the Friday, Sept. 27 episode of Georgia Today: Governor Brian Kemp confirmed deaths in Georgia in the wake of Hurricane Helene, We take a trip around the state and get updates from hard-hit communities. Plus, some good news: the Super Bowl is expected to return to Atlanta.

Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB news. Today is Friday, September 27th. I'm Peter Biello. On today's episode, at least 11 deaths are confirmed in Georgia from Hurricane Helene. We'll take a trip around the state and get updates from hard hit communities. And there is a bit of good news out of Atlanta today. The Super Bowl is coming back to the ATL. These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today.

Story 1

Peter Biello: Governor Brian Kemp gave an update on storm damage earlier today, just hours after Hurricane Helene passed through Georgia. It entered the state as a category two hurricane and weakened to a tropical storm. GPB's Sarah Kallis reports.

Sarah Kallis: Kemp says 11 people in Georgia have died from the storm, including one who was a first responder. He says over 150 roads are closed and crews are clearing debris. But,

Gov. Brian Kemp: Our priority is getting to medical emergencies and facilities like hospitals, nursing homes and others that need critical help and don't have power.

Sarah Kallis: Over 100 structures in Valdosta where Helene hit particularly hard or heavily damaged. Kemp says, at one point, multiple people were trapped. Damage assessments and recovery efforts are still ongoing. For GPB news, I'm Sarah Kallis in Atlanta.

Story 2

Peter Biello: The storm did pack its most powerful punch in southeast Georgia. That is where the highest wind gust measured in the state was recorded 100mph in Bacon County. In Valdosta, mayor Scott Matheson surveyed the city this morning.

Scott Matheson: We are devastated. We are in total utter devastation. Full penetration on homes, cars, vehicles, roadways blocked. We got Idalia and Debbie to compare it to, but last night a 100 mile an hour plus wind is a whole different animal.

Peter Biello: The hurricane's winds stripped away the siding from the steeple in front of the city's Union Cathedral, exposing its metal frame. State officials say at least 115 of Valdosta structures were damaged.

Story 3

Peter Biello: The middle Georgia city of Dublin was in the path of the eye of Hurricane Helene early this morning. GPB's Grant Blankenship has more.

Grant Blankenship: By mid-morning Friday, Deborah Wilkins and her neighbor Ralph Stanley were busy clearing their shared neighbor's driveway.

Deborah Wilkins: 70 year old pecan tree fell. And it breaks my heart and I want to cry.

Grant Blankenship: But at least she wasn't as on edge as she was in the wee hours of the morning when Hurricane Helene passed over the city of Dublin, some 240 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico.

Deborah Wilkins: Then it was constant. It was just wind gust after gust, and then all of a sudden you hear a bomb and you knew a tree fell, and then you heard another bomb.

Grant Blankenship: It was a long night, but Wilkins home was undamaged. Around the corner, Roderick Stephens was not as lucky. A cedar tree split at the base hit his house.

Roderick Stephens: I see that tree fall about 3:30 in the morning, I got to the morning. Didn't know all the other tree done fell out here.

Grant Blankenship: He lost four trees total. One was resting on a car. So what's his next move?

Roderick Stephens: I don't know if you know which I don't know.

Grant Blankenship: But what? Insurance companies say anything.

Roderick Stephens: And I ain't talking about it rig