Hurricane Irma: Atlanta Braces, Accepts Evacuees

ATLANTA, GA — Amid the chaos and worries over devastation looming in Florida brought on by Hurricane Irma, Atlanta is prepared. People in the metro have filled up their cars with gas, stocked up at grocery stores and some have opened their homes to evacuees from Florida, which is expected to be engulfed by Irma Sunday morning.

Gas prices are rising in anticipation of the storm — which should leave Atlanta with several inches of rain and gusty winds on Monday — and residents are trying to keep their tanks topped off. Elizabeth Palmer, 29, of Atlanta, went to get gas on Friday. "There must have been 20 cars at the station all playing Tetris to get in and out as fast as possible," she said. "I only paid $2.76," Palmer said, but a friend of hers paid $3 a gallon.

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While the roads are packed with cars, many locals are accepting evacuees. If not into their homes, then at least into their town.

The Jewish community in Toco Hills is accepting thousands of fellow Jews who are escaping the force of Irma. 11Alive reported that over 210 local families offered to host evacuees, some of them hosting three families.

"The local shul is hosting something like 1,000 members... there was a sign outside welcoming the Florida visitors," Palmer said.

Morgan Lanier, 28, of Atlanta, notices her city filling up. "Commuters plus evacuees definitely means bad traffic," she said, adding that "we gladly welcome Floridians given this tragic hurricane."

Chris Hopper from 11Alive tweeted a photo of Michigan power utility workers driving through Atlanta to help out in Florida.

While the water aisle at one Publix in Atlanta was empty, the bread aisle was strangely not so.

"I've heard that it's been mayhem when a new pallet of water has been brought out at Costco. Black Friday crazy," said Lanier. Luckily, she'd already gotten a case.

For up-to-date information on traffic in Georgia, visit the 511GA website. And if you're fleeing from the destruction of Hurricane Irma, you can click here to see a list of shelters from the State of Georgia.

If you have horses that need to be evacuated, the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter will serve as an Equine evacuation site for those fleeing from Irma. There's a limited number of stalls, which are given out on a first-come first-served basis.

SEE ALSO:

• Hurricane Irma: 'Freight Train' Of A Storm Barrels Toward Florida, Georgia, Carolinas
• Hurricane Irma: Will It Reach Virginia?
• Hurricane Irma: Virginia Governor Declares State Of Emergency

Article images Kristal Dixon