ATLANTA FORECAST
Today: Showers likely. High: 80
Tonight: Rain continues. Low: 71
Tomorrow: Scattered showers. High: 80
» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.
Nearly three dozen people had to be rescued Tuesday as widespread flooding left a family trapped in their home and 27 office workers stranded at their business in parts of metro Atlanta.
After a lull Tuesday morning, torrential rains hit Atlanta mid-afternoon, leading to a flash flood warning for the metro area. The warning expired about 7:15 p.m. for most metro counties. DeKalb and Gwinnett counties — two areas that saw major rescue efforts — are under a watch until 10 p.m.
DeKalb fire and rescue crews saved a family from their flooded Brookhaven home. Travis Lindquist said he rushed to his home on Warrenhall Lane once he knew his wife Amy Chen, his mother-in-law and his two children were inside the home.
“It was very unexpected,” Lindquist said of the flood, “but I’m glad everyone is out.”
DeKalb drivers were urged to use caution as several roads experienced flooding. Officials said Peachtree Road, Chamblee Dunwoody Road and Buford Highway were affected.
Crews in Gwinnett rescued at least two dozen people from a flooded business parking lot on the 6800 block of Mimms Drive near Button Gwinnett Drive, fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge said.
“Firefighters are assisting employees with exiting the parking lot via (rafts) to higher ground from a rear building,” he said. “The water in the parking lot is reportedly waist to chest deep in some areas.”
Firefighters escorted people out of two businesses and through a shallow area before they were taken to the rafts.
No injuries were reported, but several cars were stranded in the parking lot.
RELATED: Earthquake hits Augusta
Rutledge said he didn’t have an exact number of those saved, but said it was between 24 and 27.
Atlanta was one of the cities hit hardest by rain, leading to flooded roads in Midtown near Deering Road.
A driver and two passengers were trapped inside a car after a large tree fell on them on Northside Drive, Atlanta police Officer Stephanie Brown said. Crews were able to extricate them safely. No injuries were reported.
A 60 percent chance of rain is in the forecast each day this week.
Up to 4 inches of rainfall is expected through Thursday, according to Channel 2 Action News.
Currently, the temperature is 72 degrees in Atlanta.
Storms follow a 3.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Augusta on Tuesday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Tropical Storm Cindy is moving toward the central Gulf Coast, Channel 2 reported.
