ALERT: VALDOSTA IN THE EYE OF HURRICANE ISAIS STATE OF EMERGENCY

State of Emergency Valdosta-South Gergia in the Eyes of the Hurricane

Valdosta GA — Hurricane Isaias intensified into a major hurricane on Friday as it headed toward the coast of Florida and southern Georgia-Valdosta, where preparations were being finalized for storm surges and strong winds that could endanger lives.

Take precautionary measures, Valdosta is a risk area, it was recently affected by hurricanes Helene and Idalia, which caused extensive damage, many people have not yet recovered, the roofs of their houses are damaged.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp officially declared a State of Emergency.

The hurricane is expected to make landfall late Friday somewhere along the Alabama-Florida border and create dangerous conditions in the Florida Panhandle, southern Alabama and southern Mississippi, the National Hurricane Center reported. Rain began to fall along the coast on Friday morning, and tropical storm conditions were expected to begin in the early afternoon.

The Category 3 storm had winds of 120 mph (193 km/h) and was expected to continue to intensify. Category 3 storms, considered major hurricanes, can cause devastating damage, the center said.

Isaias is expected to weaken rapidly upon landfall and downgrade to a tropical storm by Saturday afternoon as it moves north and inland along the Alabama-Mississippi border, the center said.