Florida residents arriving in Georgia ahead of Hurricane Milton
TURNER COUNTY, Ga. - Traffic on Interstate 75 northbound in Georgia has been heavy throughout the morning as Floridians evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton. Many vehicles heading north display Florida license plates, and officials in Florida have stated that this mass evacuation could be the largest since 2017.
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At a rest stop in Turner County, the scene has been hectic, with the area packed since around 10 a.m. As evacuees flee the storm, Georgia is becoming a key destination for safety.
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FOX 5 Atlanta's Tyler Fingert spoke with several drivers, many of whom described chaotic journeys due to the congestion. One woman from the Tampa area shared that she left at 2:30 a.m., only to be met with traffic that extended her drive by an hour.
The evacuation is further complicated by damage left behind by Hurricane Helene just two weeks ago. Georgia officials are advising evacuees to avoid south Georgia and instead seek shelter in places like Albany, Columbus, Macon, and Atlanta. Some are even traveling as far as Michigan and Tennessee to find refuge with family, as hotels in Georgia are filling up quickly.
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One evacuee told FOX 5 Atlanta, "We should have been out of there 4 or 5 hours ago. It was pandemonium on the roads." Another expressed their concern, saying, "I don't normally freak out over hurricanes, but this one scared me."
As more people continue to evacuate Florida, the rest area remains packed, and officials expect the heavy traffic to persist throughout the day.