More than 130 Savannah students will come to CSU to shelter from Irma

Between 130-150 students from Armstrong State University in Savannah are scheduled to arrive on Columbus State University’s campus Friday afternoon as they seek shelter from Hurricane Irma.

CSU President Chris Markwood announced that the university had taken a tally of available dorm room beds and reached out to neighboring states and institutions to offer assistance.

Armstrong announced Thursday morning that it would close its campus at 5 p.m. and begin evacuations Friday morning. Some of those students will arrive in Columbus Friday afternoon.

“Please extend every courtesy to our guests and welcome them as part of our family,” Markwood said in an email to faculty and staff.

The decision was well received by faculty like Amanda Rees, a professor of geography at CSU.

“This is what I love about my institution. It looks at a community problem, assesses its assets, and then extends an offer of assistance to students,” she wrote on Facebook.

Gov. Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency in six coastal Georgia counties Wednesday as Hurricane Irma beat an ominous path toward the Georgia coast.

Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Glynn, Liberty and McIntosh counties were included in the declaration. Savannah, where Armstrong State is located, is in Chatham County.

Current projections have heavy winds and storms expected to hit the Georgia coast by Sunday morning, and to reach the Georgia mainland by Sunday evening.

More detailed predictions on the hurricane’s ultimate path are still not well established. Irma killed at least 10 people as it passed over the Caribbean this week.

This story was originally published September 7, 2017 at 10:57 AM with the headline "More than 130 Savannah students will come to CSU to shelter from Irma."