ATLANTA — The Georgia Department of Labor reported that the unemployment rate in the metro Savannah area rose to a preliminary unadjusted rate of 8 percent in February, up 3.5 percentage points over the year from February of 2008.

The jobless rate in metro Savannah rose six-tenths of a percentage point from a revised 7.4 percent in January.

The unemployment rate in the Coastal Georgia area rose to a preliminary unadjusted rate of 8.3 percent in February, up 3.7 percentage points over the year from February 2008.

The jobless rate in the Coastal Georgia area rose six-tenths of a percentage point from a revised 7.7 percent in January.

“The latest local unemployment rates reflect the severity of the on-going recession in Georgia,” said State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond.

“In 87 of our state’s 159 counties, double-digit unemployment is a sobering reality. A rising tide of joblessness is spreading across our state.”

The counties with the highest unemployment rates are Jenkins at 21.3 percent, Hancock at 19.1 percent, and Warren at 16.8 percent. The counties with the lowest rates are Oconee at 6.0 percent, Lee and Long at 6.7 percent.