Georgia is one of many US states suffering from drought and last week the Governor took the unusual step of publicly praying for rain.

Mr Perdue led the prayer vigil on the steps of the state capitol building in Atlanta last Tuesday.

“We come together for simply one reason, for one reason only – to reverently and respectfully to pray up a storm,” he told the gathered faithful, and press.

He said prayer was part of the solution to the water shortages facing Georgia.

Mr Perdue acknowledged that the state had not done all it should have in terms of managing and conserving the resources which God had blessed it with, but wanted to tell ‘the creator of water and rain’ that Georgians would try harder.

“God hears the fervent righteous prayers of his people…I’m here to appeal to all Georgians and those who believe in the power of prayer to ask God to shower our state, our region and our country with the blessings of water,” he said.

The state has already taken more traditional steps to address the problem.

In late September, the Georgian Department of Natural Resources put water restrictions in place, claiming the drought was of ‘historic’ proportions.

Georgia has also set up a website urging businesses and members of the public to reduce water use and offering advice on how to do so.

Reservoirs supplying Atlanta are already dangerously low and state biologists have proposed stemming the flow from north Georgia’s Lake Lania into the Apalachicola River to conserve water supplies in the region.

Those working in the billion-dollar seafood business based on the river’s delta have raised concerns that such a plan will slowly cripple the industry.

Sam Bond

edie+ subscribers can listen to the Governor’s speech and prayer vigil here.

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