Tropical Storm Irma has left behind a giant mess in North Georgia - thousands of trees littering roadways and property, hundreds of thousands without electricity and at least one fatality.
WOMAN KILLED IN FORSYTH COUNTY
A woman died Monday afternoon when a tree fell on her vehicle in a private driveway in Forsyth County. According to the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, the accident happened near Shadburn Road.
The Forsyth County Fire Department and sheriff's worked to rescue the female passenger. She died from her injuries. Authorities were trying to notify friends and family before releasing the woman's name.
The death was one of three storm-related deaths reported across the state of Georgia.
EMCs, GEORGIA POWER WORK TO RESTORE POWER TO TENS OF THOUSANDS IN THE DARK
At the height if the storm, nearly 1.5 million Georgia Power and EMC customers were without power across the state of Georgia.
As of 7 a.m. Tuesday, Jackson EMC reported 61,979 customers were without electricity - almost 28-percent of its customer base. Sawnee EMC was working to restore power to 12, 872 customers. In Hall County alone, Georgia Power had 22,042 customers with no power.
Officials with the utilities said it could take days to restore power to all customers.
TREES, TREES EVERYWHERE
Roads across the region are littered with trees and fallen limbs that came down Monday afternoon and evening and during the overnight hours.
Hall County EMA Director David Kimbrell said his crews estimated up to 85-percent of Hall County roads were littered with debris.
"Right now crews are just cutting and pushing the trees to the right of way and will come back later to clean up," Kimbrell said. "Overnight crews cleared over 125 roads, some with multiple trees on one stretch."
Habersham County Dispatch reported Tuesday morning that every major roadway in the county had at least one blockage as the result of fallen trees. Law enforcement there said they were responding only to emergency calls and not to calls about fallen trees at this point.
Banks County authorities were in the same boat Monday night. They were answering emergency calls only, since they were inundated with clearing roads of fallen trees.
Hall County Sheriff's Office deputies assist with removal of a fallen tree on Mt. Vernon Road in North Hall County on Monday afternoon. (Photo submitted by Spencer Walker)
One of hundreds of trees that fell across North Georgia roadways as Tropical Storm Irma hit the area Monday. (Photo submitted by Spencer Walker)
A common site across North Georgia - fallen trees littering property in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irma. (Photo submitted)
This tree grazed the edge of a house on Navajo Circle in Gainesville. (Photo submitted by Don Fox)
Forsyth County Sheriff's deputies worked into the night removing trees from roadways. (Photo from FCSO Facebook page)
Traffic lights crashed into the intersection of Hwy. 441 and Level Grove Road in Cornelia as Irma brought strong winds to the region. (Photo by Rob Moore)
Lea Street in West Hall (Photo submitted)
Esther Drive in West Hall (Photo submitted)
Large trees littered historic Green Street in Gainesville following Irma's trek through Hall County. This tree fell in front of Quinlan Visual Arts Center. (Photo by Caleb Hutchins)
The Historic Clermont Hotel in North Hall County sustained exterior damage from overnight winds. (Photo by Jeff Hart)
Fallen limbs litter the campus of the University of North Georgia's Gainesville campus. The campus remained closed Tuesday in light of the storm. (Photo by Caleb Hutchins)
A Maysville family is displaced after a tree crashes through their home. Marlena Brock Sweeney said in a Facebook message that her family all got out safe, and that Home Depot, where her husband works as a roof sales consultant, helped them find a place to stay. (Photo Submitted)
Photo submitted by Seth Chapman, AccessWDUN
Photo submitted by Seth Chapman, AccessWDUN
Taped off by an earlier emergency response crew, a fallen tree covers half of the roadway on Prior Street near Brenau University. Gainesville Police arrived on scene to begin handling the situation as our AccessWDUN reporter snapped this picture.
Crews begin to dismantle a large tree that fell on Brenau University's front lawn in Gainesville. The tree narrowly missed a statue of Harriet Tubman, which was recently moved to the front lawn from the library.
A large tree fell, toppling the detached garage onto four vehicles at the home of Barry and Linda Church west of Clarkesville. (Photo/Rob Moore)
A fallen tree resulted in downed power lines and a broken pole on New Liberty Road north of Clarkesville. (Photo/Rob Moore)
The Town of Mt. Airy is using a mobile generator to keep water flowing. (Photo/Rob Moore)
A large tree awaits removal after downed power lines are repaired on Wilson Road in Mt. Airy. (Photo/Rob Moore)
Cornelia crews work to clear trees and debris from Level Grove Road between Hoyt Street and Wayside Street. (Photo/Rob Moore)
Winds from Irma caused the facade of the former Grogan Chevrolet on South Main Street in Cornelia to collapse. (Photo/Rob Moore)
Banks County Sheriff's Office personnel return to their office Tuesday. (Photo/Rob Moore)
A large tree fell, toppling the detached garage onto four vehicles at the home of Barry and Linda Church west of Clarkesville. (Photo/Rob Moore)
A large tree fell, toppling the detached garage onto four vehicles at the home of Barry and Linda Church west of Clarkesville. (Photo/Rob Moore)
Winds toppled the portable toilet at the tennis courts on Thompson Street in Homer.
(Photo/Rob Moore)
Trees are down along Weaver Road. (Photo submitted by Winston Buttram)
Trees are down along Weaver Road. (Photo submitted by Winston Buttram)
Power lines are down on Old Cornelia Highway near East Hall High School. (Photo/Lori Thompson, AccessWDUN)
Old Cornelia Highway blocked with down powerline (Photo by Scott Kimbler)
Tree on power line suspends over Old Cornelia Highway (Photo by Scott Kimbler)
Tree on power line hoovering over one lane of Old Cornelia Highway (Photo by Scott Kimbler)
Ornamental piece outside Rabbitown business blown down (Photo By Scott Kimbler)
http://accesswdun.com/article/2017/9/581692/photo-gallery-irma-leaves-a-mess-across-north-georgia