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HURRICANE IDALIA: Ga. colleges announce closures as hurricane inches closer to landfall

By WSBTV.com News Staff

South Georgia State College South Georgia State College

By WSBTV.com News Staff

GEORGIA — Several colleges and universities in south and coastal Georgia are closing down their campuses as they prepare to see the effects of Hurricane Idalia.

Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Brian Monahan says Idalia’s winds are currently 130 mph. The storm is rapidly intensifying into an “extremely dangerous major hurricane” before its projected landfall on the Florida Gulf coast sometime Wednesday.

Monahan says Idalia is expected to cross through southeast and coastal Georgia on its way into South Carolina and the Atlantic Ocean.

Get the latest tracking from Severe Weather Team throughout the evening on Channel 2 Action News starting at 4 p.m.

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Gov. Brian Kemp has issued a State of Emergency for all of Georgia through Sept. 8.

To keep students safe, several colleges in the area are moving classes online and closing off their campuses, including:

ABRAHAM BALDWIN AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE

Due to threats of inclement weather, ABAC’s Tifton and Bainbridge campus, ABAC’s Georgia Museum of Agriculture, and ABAC’s Forest Lakes Golf Course will cease normal business operations beginning at 5 p.m. TODAY, August 29, 2023. All ABAC facilities will reopen for business at 8 a.m. on Thursday, August 31, 2023.

ABAC residence halls and dining operations will remain open for normal business hours.

COLLEGE OF COASTAL GEORGIA

From the Office of the President:

Good afternoon, Students. Given the latest forecast for Storm Idalia, all classes will be shifted online Tuesday, August 29 beginning at 2:00 p.m. through Friday, September 1. Monday, September 4 is a holiday; so, classes will resume according to normal schedules on Tuesday, September 5. Your professors will provide details and instructions for you through email and/or your D2L account. Residence halls will remain open, and dining services will be provided on a modified schedule. Residential students will receive additional communications specific to housing and optimized dining hours. All Student Life activities are cancelled beginning tomorrow at 2:00 p.m., and the libraries will be closed until Thursday at 1:00. We will update you through email and postings to the College of Coastal Georgia website if there are any further modifications to classes and/or College operations. Any emergency notifications will be distributed through our Nixle text messaging system, as well. If you have not already signed up for Nixle, you can text the letters CCGA to 888777 to gain access to these important safety notifications.

EAST GEORGIA STATE COLLEGE

East Georgia State College has decided to close the Swainsboro campus at 5:00 p.m. today, Tuesday, August 29 and reopen at 8:00 a.m., on Thursday, August 31, resuming normal operations. There will be no classes or activities tomorrow (Wednesday) and faculty & staff will not report, except for those deemed essential. Dining services will be providing information to our dorm students on how food service will be handled. Dorm students should check their student email account for updates.

For EGSC faculty, staff, and students on the Augusta University campus and Georgia Southern campus, you will follow any guidelines or decisions made by those respective campuses in the coming days – we ‘follow their lead,’ so to speak, when it comes to emergency management planning at those locations.

This is a serious storm approaching and a lot of wind and rain will impact our area. We encourage everyone to stay safe and adhere to any campus safety announcements that may be forthcoming.

Students are encouraged to check their student email account for updates and visit https://www.ega.edu/alerts/ for important information and updates.

GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY

#HurricaneIdalia update: All Georgia Southern campus operations will be limited to essential personnel only on Aug. 30, and classes will shift online Aug. 30 and 31.

All in-person events are canceled Wednesday, and until noon on Thursday, pending official determination that all campuses are safe. When that determination is made, an “all-clear” will be issued via EAGLE ALERT.

Until that “all-clear” is issued, only essential personnel should be on campus on Wednesday, Aug. 30, and until noon on Thursday, Aug. 31. Employees should check with their supervisor if they are unsure about their status as an essential employee.

Hurricane Idalia is predicted to bring heavy rainfall, areas of flash flooding and strong, gusty winds to all of Georgia Southern’s campuses. Tropical Storm and Storm Surge watches have been issued for the southeast Georgia coastline. Because of this threat, please note:

Students living on campus are welcome to shelter in place in their residence halls. Your classes on Wednesday and Thursday will be held online.

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SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY

The SSU administrators are closely monitoring Tropical Storm Idalia and potential impact on the Savannah area. Given the latest forecast for Storm Idalia, all classes will be shifted online beginning Wednesday, August 30 in an asynchronous style learning environment through Friday, September 1. Monday, September 4 is a holiday; so, classes will resume according to normal schedules on Tuesday, September 5.

SOUTH GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY

Students,

Given the latest forecast for Storm Idalia, all in-person classes will be shifted to an online format beginning at 8:00 a.m. Wednesday, August 30 through Friday, September 1. Monday, September 4 is a holiday; so, classes will resume according to normal schedules on Tuesday, September 5. Students in the SGSC Entry Program will follow the guidance provided by Valdosta State University. Your professors will provide details and instructions through your Georgia View account. Residence halls on the Douglas Campus will remain open, and dining services will be provided on a modified schedule. Residential students will receive additional communications specific to housing and dining hours.

In-person Student Life activities are cancelled Wednesday through Friday. The Clower Center on the Douglas Campus will be closed on Wednesday, August 30.

Also, SGSC Douglas and Waycross campuses will be closed on Wednesday, August 30. Only essential personnel as designated by direct supervisors will be on campus. Unless notified otherwise, campus operations will resume as normal on Thursday, August 31 but classes will continue in an online format.

Updates will be provided through email and postings to the South Georgia State College website and social media if there are any further modifications to classes and/or College operations.

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA - TIFTON CAMPUS

Campus Closure Announcement

Due to Mother Nature’s unpredictable mood, our campus will be closed tomorrow (8/30) for the safety of all our students and staff. While we won’t be tending to the fields or studying in the classrooms, safety always comes first. We will see you all back on Thursday.

VALDOSTA STATE UNIVERSITY

We have continued to closely track the path of Hurricane Idalia. The latest update from VSU’s Department of Public Safety shows the storm is strengthening as it moves closer to land with greatest impact of strong winds and heavy rain in Lowndes County tomorrow between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. As a result, VSU will be closed starting at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, August 30 and will remain closed until midnight. During the closure, only essential personnel and residents of campus housing are allowed on campus.

We will continue to monitor the impact of Idalia, but as of right now, we anticipate VSU reopening at 8 a.m. on Thursday, August 31.

WIREGRASS GEORGIA TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College will be closed on Wednesday, August 30 due to the anticipation of Hurricane Idalia in our service area. Plans are to reopen as normal on Thursday, August 31, but we will be evaluating conditions and will make any possible closure announcements at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Announcements will be posted on the main Facebook page, Website, and alert system. Please make sure that you have signed up for your county red code alerts and weather apps to stay aware of changing conditions.

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IN RELATED NEWS:

Residents of south Georgia prepare for Idalia's arrival

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