Local Georgia Department of Transportation crews began providing equipment and manpower to help clear debris in areas that sustained damage during severe storms and tornadoes the first week of January.

Georgia DOT will provide assistance, if requested, in Baker, Calhoun, Dougherty, Early, Miller, Mitchell, Turner and Worth counties. Gov. Nathan Deal has declared a state of emergency in those counties. GDOT’s southwest district has crews working in Dougherty, Baker, Mitchell and Worth counties. No other requests for assistance have been received as of today through the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency.

So far the southwest district has assigned 43 employees to help clear debris from local rights of way and roads that are not on the state highway system. They will not be working on private or commercial properties. District Maintenance Engineer Stacy Aultman said employees will work seven days a week and will provide dump trucks, loaders and chain saws.

“We’re very happy to help our local municipalities and counties recover from the recent storms that have hit this region. Our resources will be utilized to ensure the routes in our communities remain safe and open to the traveling public,” District Engineer Chad Hartley said.

Albany was particularly hard hit when severe storms and tornadoes slammed southwest Georgia on Jan. 2 and 3. Many homes remain without power due to the damage sustained and shelters continue to house displaced residents. Deal will visit Albany Tuesday to visit areas impacted by the storms.

Deal’s original State of Emergency declaration was issued Jan. 5 for Calhoun, Mitchell, Baker and Dougherty counties. That executive order was to end at 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 11. On Jan. 6 Deal added Turner and Worth counties. Today the governor expanded the order to include Early and Miller counties and extended the time to 11:59 p.m. Jan. 18.