The Savannah Chapter of the American Red Cross mobilized Saturday as rain and strong winds pelted many parts of the region. The chapter set up shelters in two counties and housed about 80 people overnight, according to John Wright from the chapter. The shelters were closed Sunday morning. However, additional Red Cross volunteers from Savannah are heading to the affected area. The volunteers are from the chapter's new rapid deployment team. They'll be making a four hour drive to southern Georgia to do damage assessment on homes and assist affected residents.
"There was rising water and possibly extensive flooding in Fitzgerald, Ashburn and Tifton," Wright says. Wright says Tifton is the county seat for Tift County, Asburn is the county seat for Turner county and Fitzgerald is the county seat for Ben Hill County.
Wright says about a dozen homes in the area had to be evacuated Saturday evening because of rising water. He says a shelter opened in Tifton served about 50 people while a shelter in Fitzgerald served another 30. He says volunteers were on standby in Ashburn but no shelter was needed.
The Red Cross has expanded the Savannah chapter's service area. The volunteers heading out Sunday are on their first deployment, according to Wright. He knew of no injuries from the storm.
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