The National Weather Service reported that as of late Monday night, September 11, Hurricane Irma has been downgraded to a tropical depression and that tropical storm and storm surge warnings have been discontinued. The Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) released a statement Tuesday, September 12 that Chatham County remains under a local State of Emergency. With the exception of Tybee Island, which CEMA reported to be inaccessible, the evacuation order for Chatham County has been lifted in coordination with Georgia Governor Nathan Deal.
Unlike Sunday and Monday nights, there is no curfew in place for Chatham County starting Tuesday. CEMA said cleanup crews are making passes through unincorporated areas as well as removing obstructions on Chatham County roadways and assessing damages to roads, bridges and drainage structures. Crews will be removing debris in the unincorporated areas starting Thursday, September 14. The City of Savannah also reported that crews responded to three minor sewage spills on Monday that were due to Hurricane Irma.
SCAD students who evacuated on their own are advised to review the Chatham County road closures website and plan accordingly. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Talmadge Bridge has been reopened. According to CEMA, an unlisted number of traffic signals are not working, and drivers are advised to treat each intersection not properly working as a four-way stop. They also reported that multiple roads remain closed throughout the county.
SCAD announced Tuesday that the Savannah and Atlanta campuses are under assessment. A return plan for Savannah students who relocated to the Atlanta campus will be issued as soon as details are finalized. Students are encouraged to consistently check their email, cellphones, Twitter and scad.edu for future updates.
CEMA also released a list of steps students living off-campus should take if their property sustained damage from the storm. According to a statement issued Tuesday afternoon, students should photograph any damage, make a list of damaged or lost items, gather original receipts for said items then call their insurance agent to submit a claim.
The University emphasized the safety of the SCAD community and the security of all SCAD buildings will determine an upcoming operations schedule. SCAD said that University employees who are able to travel safely should still plan to report to work tomorrow, Wednesday, September 13, unless otherwise instructed.
Written by Emilie Kefalas.
Filmed and edited by Emilie Kefalas.
