Zeta causes headaches in Calhoun, Gordon
Hurricane Zeta delivered a bit of turmoil to the Calhoun and Gordon County areas on Thursday, with some schools closing, others going online-only, and emergency responders busy cleaning up the mess left behind by strong winds and rain.
The Gordon County Sheriff’s Office said they had numerous reports of downed trees and power lines, as well as isolated flooding in areas spread around the county.
“As of 5 a.m., Gordon County is experiencing heavy rainfall and is being buffeted by gale force winds. Deputies are responding to many reports of downed trees, downed utility lines, debris in the roadways, and automobile accidents,” Sheriff Mitch Ralston said in a release on his website. “There have been some re
ports of structural damage. The storm is not concentrated in any particular area, and is affecting the entire county. So far no injuries have been reported. Extra deputy sheriffs have been deployed throughout the night and into the morning hours to handle the higher volume of requests for service. The sheriff’s office is
coordinating closely with the County Public Works Department and Fire/Rescue in clearing roads and streets. Travel conditions on all roadways are hazardous given the high winds and debris, and unnecessary travel should be avoided until conditions have improved. Secondary roadways have the potential for increased haz
ards. Some power outages are being experienced, and the utility providers have been notified as calls are received.”
The Gordon County Health Department and all other county government office opened late on Thursday, while the county school system canceled school entirely for the day.
Calhoun City Schools converted to a distance learning day, with teachers reporting for in-person services later in the day if they were safely able to do so.
Forecasts for the weekend and the early part of next week call for partly cloudy or mostly sunny skies, with only a minimal chance of rain within the next week.