State of emergency declared in Georgia as drought worsens by Kirsty McCabe
Governors in Georgia yesterday declared a state of emergency across the northern half of the American state as the drought continued to worsen. Water supplies have been rapidly shrinking over the past few months, and it is feared that if current conditions continue, Lake Lanier, one of the larger reservoirs in the north of the state could be only 3 months away from total depletion. The lake spans 154 km² (60 mi²), and is responsible for supplying more than 3 million residents with water.
Water restrictions were put in place in early April, limiting outdoor watering to three days a week, with officials urging residents to limit their home water usage. As the situation continued to deteriorate, governors decided to take a more drastic course of action, urging President Bush to declare the state a major disaster area.
More than a quarter of southeast USA is now covered by an ‘exceptional drought’, the National Weather Service’s worst drought category. Much of Tennessee, Alabama and parts of South California are reeling under the drought, which has been exacerbated by the stifling heat and drier than normal hurricane season. With little significant rainfall expected over the coming weeks, officials are now working together to come up with a viable solution; before the situation spirals out of control.
