ATLANTA — As Georgia grapples with the damage from Hurricane Helene, Gov. Brian Kemp has authorized 1,000 additional members of the Georgia National Guard to help respond to damage in the state.
It comes in a Monday afternoon executive order signed by Kemp, and it brings the total authorization to 2,500 members of Georgia's National Guard.
The executive order was signed on the same day Kemp visited Augusta to surveil the damage Hurricane Helene caused.
The eastern part of Georgia was battered by the so-called dirty side of the storm, leaving many communities suffering storm damage, under boil water advisories and, in many cases, in the dark. Across the state, there are nearly 530,000 power customers without power after the storm.
The original executive order from Sept. 24 authorized 500 members of the National Guard to help respond ahead of the storm, and then on Sept. 27, Kemp authorized 1,000 more members of the National Guard to help aid in the response.
But on Monday, the executive order said that "continued assistance from the Georgia National Gaurd is necessary to ensure the necessary response and recovery efforts of the State of Georgia from the negative impacts of Helene."
In the days after Hurricane Helene, Georgia's death toll has continued to rise. On Monday, Kemp confirmed that the total number of lives lost is now 25 people, and nationally, over 100 people are believed to have lost their lives after Hurricane Helene.
Georgia remains under a state of emergency declaration, and the original state of emergency declaration lasts until Oct. 2. However, the governor can extend the state of emergency if deemed necessary.
Along with authorizing the National Guard, the original state of emergency declaration mobilizes resources, expands government power and loosens certain regulations so the state can better respond to any impacts from the storm.
Gov. Kemp also requested an "official expedited emergency disaster declaration" from FEMA on Monday.