A rare snow storm has incapacitated much of the southern United States, including the Atlanta metro area. The storm, which dropped anywhere from 1-3 inches of snow and ice, has completely debilitated the Atlanta area.
Students are stranded in their schools, with some even being trapped on school buses. Businesses and government offices are closed, although the city's leadership is scrambling to help those affected by the storm. According to an article in USA Today, Atlanta Mayor Kassim Reed and other city officials have taken steps to ensure that those trapped by the storm are taken care of. The mayor reiterated that his top priority is getting aid to those in need.
However, residents of the city have voiced their dissatisfaction with the leadership's attmepts at aid, and even called out the city officials for being unprepared. While only 2-4 inches of snow fell, it was more than enough to overwhelm and incapacitate one of the most populated areas in the country. It grounded flights at the nation's busiest airport, Hartsfield International, stranded hundreds of motorists who took to the freeways--maintained by the state-- to try to get out of the storm's path, and kept hundreds of children trapped at their schools.
Despite the criticism, the city's leadership has focused its efforts on helping stranded motorists, many of whom have been gridlocked and trapped for several hours along the city's highways. Mayor Reed defended the city's efforts and preparedness, noting that the response was much more efficient and improved from the city's last winter storm in 2011. The city and much of the surrounding area is under a state of emergency.
Nonetheless, the backlash against city officials has been negative throughout the crisis, with angry residents taking to social media to voice their displeasure. While the worst of the storm appears to be over, city officials are no doubt bracing for an entirely different kind of storm from dissatisfied residents.
The city is still under a winter storm warning, but temperatures are slowly beginning to rise, with things getting back to normal climate-wise by the end of the week.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
