ATLANTA – Tropical storm Irma was responsible for the deaths of two people Monday, including one person in Worth County in south Georgia and another in Sandy Springs, near Atlanta. 

The storm’s persistent rain and wind led state officials Monday to continue to urge people to shelter in place where they are, if possible. 

“Even after the storm has passed, we just encourage everybody to stay put,” Catherine Howden, chief of staff for Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, said Monday afternoon. 

“We know that there’s a lot of evacuees, both in Florida and Georgia – residents who are wanting to get back home,” Howden added. “But we need to make sure that the first responders can get into those areas, clear the roadways and make sure it’s safe for folks to get back in before they go.”

The storm’s maximum sustained winds had dropped to about 50 miles per hour as of Monday afternoon. Irma is expected to become a tropical depression on Tuesday.