ATLANTA — Governor Brian Kemp is extending the State of Emergency for Georgia that was put in place following Hurricane Helene.
Kemp posted on X that "Georgians impacted by Hurricane Helene need every resource available as they continue to recover."
The State of Emergency will now last until Nov. 6.
The executive order essentially helps with immediate resource assistance in the aftermath of the storm and impacts all 159 counties in Georgia.
Helene made landfall in Florida with a record storm surge 15 feet high and catastrophic sustained winds reaching 140 miles per hour, pummeling Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Virginia.
At least 232 people died following the aftermath of the storm in six states.
What areas were hit?
The areas that received the most devastation were the Gulf Coast in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas.
Asheville, North Carolina and other areas in the western part of the state were among the hardest hit in the country due to catastrophic flooding caused by the storm.
The storm and its aftermath caused 1,400 landslides. They damaged over 160 water and sewer systems, at least 6,000 miles of roads, more than 1,000 bridges and culverts and an estimated 126,000 homes, according to the North Carolina budget office.
Economic impact
State officials in the southeast are still calculating the damages caused by the storm.
In Georgia, Gov. Kemp said Helene heavily impacted the agriculture industry. Although the governor did not give an exact dollar amount, the damage is estimated to be billions. Kemp has encouraged farmers to continue reporting the damage.
