Georgia Emergency Operations Plan - GEMA/Homeland Security

hazardous road conditions for much of the week. The intensity and scale of the
winter storm shut down major highways, arterials, and local roads across north
and central Georgia, stranding most people at home and many on the
interstates.
Drought
Long-term lack of rainfall can cause major concerns for Georgia’s agricultural
industry and water supply. When dry conditions persist for more than 1 to 2 years,
soil moisture levels decrease dramatically and impact agriculture, trees, and
drinking water reservoirs. As previously discussed, long-term drought also
increases the threat for wildfires in Georgia. In 2007 Georgia experienced a
significant drought that resulted in the Governor declaring a state of emergency.
A unified command was established to coordinate the state response and
determine water conversation policies.
Seismic Hazards
Georgia, like all the other states east of the Rocky Mountains, does not have any
active faults and is not on a tectonic plate boundary. However, potentially
damaging earthquakes can occur in the interior of tectonic plates; these
intraplate earthquakes is an important consideration for emergency managers.
Damages from the great eastern United States earthquakes are largely forgotten
because the last great earthquake was over 100 years ago. Although large
earthquakes are less frequent east of the Mississippi River, some seismologists
argue that earthquakes cause damage over much larger areas in the eastern
United States than earthquakes of similar size in the western United States.
Hence, in Georgia, as in most of the eastern United States, calculations of seismic
hazard indicate that large distant earthquakes are likely to cause as much
damage in Georgia as earthquakes of any size with epicenters within the state.
North Georgia typically experiences the most seismic activity within the state;
these earthquakes are minor and typically do not cause any damage. The state
has, however, been impacted by significant seismic activity in the past. In 1886,
a large earthquake in Charleston, South Carolina caused substantial damage in
Georgia. Shockwaves reaches Savannah, cracking walls, breaking windows,
and causing chimneys to tumble. Augusta experienced the most severe
shaking in the State; many buildings sustained damage. Subsequent
earthquakes have occurred in following years, ranging from intensity III to VI. The
last significant seismic event occurred in March 1964 near Haddock and was felt
across 400 square miles.
Sinkholes
In Georgia, sinkholes typically occur when in an area along the fall line, or the
border between the coastal plan and Piedmont region. Natural depressions
form in the underlying rock due to percolating water, the collapse of cave roofs
(sue to seismic activity), or the lowering of the water table. While sinkholes are a
natural phenomenon, they can also be induced by human activity, such as
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