A state of emergency has been declared by Bryan County in response to the tornado that touched down in the Pembroke and Ellabell areas.
A state of emergency allows the County to use state resources for this event.
The tornado touched down at 5:40 p.m. Tuesday near the County Courthouse Complex in Pembroke and moved towards Park Place and Homestead neighborhoods causing damage.
County officials put a curfew in effect from 10:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. to prohibit trespassing into the impacted areas of North Bryan County including Homestead, Park Place, the Black Creek Golf Course, and the County Buildings in Pembroke to protect properties.
A Red Cross assisted shelter at Bryan County Elementary is open for those displaced by the storm. Transportation by bus to the shelter is available from Pembroke City Hall at 353 N Main St, Pembroke, the Wilma Edwards entrance to Park Place and the Ellabell Post Office at 8745 US-280 E, Ellabell.
Emergency crews from Bulloch, Chatham, Liberty, Effingham, and Long Counties and the Cities of Screven, Pooler, Garden City, Rincon, Richmond Hill and more responded to the event.
At this time, search and rescue has concluded their initial sweeps for injuries and those injuries have been transported to the hospital.
Search and Rescue crews are further sweeping the area of damage in the daylight. There has been significant damage to the Park Place and Homestead Drive neighborhoods, Hendrix Park, Black Creek Golf Club, and the areas of Pembroke including the County complex.
Officials are urging residents to avoid these areas as you go about your day. No further injuries have been found this morning.
Bryan County is in the process of surveying the damage. If your home is damaged in the impacted area, please send a photo with the address to the Bryan County Fire and Emergency Services Facebook or to mkent@bryan-county.org . This will help the County speed the survey to identify damage and get residents back to their properties sooner.
How you can help: Donations should be directed Ellabell United Methodist Church at 3279 GA-204, Ellabell.
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