‘We’re done here for a while’: Floods cause major damage in North Georgia
Heavy overnight rain sent the Toccoa River in far North Georgia to a record crest and triggered flash flooding across the region, forcing evacuations and boat rescues, causing major building damage and prompting a state of emergency in at least one city before water began to recede Thursday morning.
The hardest hit areas, primarily south of McCaysville near the Fannin-Gilmer County line, saw roughly 8 to 11 inches of rain in the last 24 hours, National Weather Service meteorologist Luke Culver told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution around 8 a.m.
“Basically, (the rain) all fell in the hills and mountains and basin that drains into the (Toccoa) river there that goes into McCaysville,” Culver said.
Flash flood warnings have expired in parts of Fannin, Gilmer, Union and Murray counties, and McCaysville, where water has receded below the bridge that cuts through town, is no longer also under a flash flood emergency.
State of emergency in McCaysville
First responders in the small city of McCaysville, near the Tennessee border in Fannin County, spent the night pulling people from floodwaters in a locale that was only just recovering from devastating August rains.
Leaders there have declared a state of emergency and closed the city to unauthorized personnel.
Police Chief Michael Earley told the AJC and reporters that crews have conducted up to 40 water rescues using motorized rafts and boats in an effort that began around midnight. Many of those missions were completed before the sun had even come up Thursday.
There have been no reports of “major injuries,” but he said some people were taken to hospitals. He said he suspects some suffered from hypothermia or shock.
“From what we could tell, everybody looked to be OK,” he said.
Rescue efforts are ongoing. Earley said he is unsure how many residents may still be trapped in homes that crews have been unable to reach, or if anyone is still waiting for help.
“The water is slowly starting to rescind, but everything is destroyed,” the chief told the AJC early Thursday.
He said businesses, the police department and other structures are “completely flooded.”
Mayor Terry Arp described the town’s devastation as extensive during a phone interview with the AJC. Arp said he is praying they don’t discover any fatalities.
“We’re done here for a while,” Arp said.
The bridge over Blue Ridge Drive, which cuts through downtown McCaysville, was covered in a thick, muddy sludge before noon. There was enough water remaining on the bridge that fish displaced from the Toccoa River were seen swimming, lost.
A ship from a nearby church’s playground was among the debris that floated down the river. Like Noah’s Ark, it was lifted out by the water and came to rest several hundred yards away, the cross in its bow still erect.
A propane tank behind a building hissed; one fire that started earlier had already been put out.
Record high river levels
The Toccoa River, which flows through McCaysville and changes to Ocoee River at the Tennessee-Georgia line, reached records levels Thursday morning. Culver said at 7 a.m., the river crested at 18.05 feet, breaking the previous record of 17.75 feet in February 1990.
Over the past several days, Culver said the river had sat between 2 to 3 feet, which he said was normal. Since its peak, Culver said the river has since been slowly lowering.
Rain in the area has also tapered off. The Weather Service predicts scattered showers and thunderstorms in areas along and south of I-85 on Thursday instead.
“The worst of the conditions have passed,” Culver said.
Gov. Brian Kemp, Georgia agencies react
Gov. Brian Kemp said in a social media post the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, as well as the state’s Department of Public Safety and the Department of Natural Resources, were “actively” responding to flooding with “aviation and boat assets.”
Local Georgia counties and Tennessee first responders were also said to be assisting.
“This is an ongoing flash flood emergency, and if you are in the impacted area, seek higher ground and listen to your local emergency officials,” Kemp wrote online.
Air space and roads are also impacted.
The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a temporary flight restriction for aircraft and drones in Fannin because of search and rescue efforts. Ga. 5 is closed as the Georgia Department of Transportation waits for flooding to subside so that crews can inspect it, agency spokesperson Natalie Dale said. Bridge engineers are also prepared to assess structures, she said.
According to the Fannin County Emergency Management Agency, crews were unable to access certain areas because of flooding and dangerous conditions. The agency confirmed a Georgia State Patrol helicopter was on standby to help with rescues during daylight hours when necessary.
Images shared online by the agency showed homes nearly halfway underwater.
“Please do not let the rain stopping give you a false sense of security. Floodwaters remain extremely dangerous, and conditions can continue to worsen even after the rain has stopped,” officials said.
Impacts across North Georgia
In Gilmer, the county’s emergency management agency said widespread flooding caused water to surround multiple homes. Officials said around 3 a.m. that rescue teams were evacuating residents from affected areas.
“Our emergency resources are currently stretched thin due to the number of incidents taking place across the county. Please help us by limiting unnecessary travel and allowing emergency crews to focus on those needing immediate assistance,” the agency said.
Schools in Gilmer and Fannin counties are closed Thursday because of flooding.
The Weather Service advised those in impacted areas to move to higher ground and to not attempt to travel unless fleeing an area under evacuation or an area subject to flooding.
Previous McCaysville flooding
McCaysville dealt with catastrophic flooding just a few months ago in August, when seven inches of rain fell across eight hours creating what the mayor, Arp, described at the time as a “perfect storm.”
The city’s drainage systems were overwhelmed quickly when dirt and debris from road construction on Ga. 5 washed downhill toward downtown. Arp said then the rain was an act of God, but “God got a little help, too.”
The city’s water treatment facility was damaged, and the police department and post office were flooded. McCaysville spent weeks making repairs. The city had only just reopened the police department and post office earlier this week before the latest round of flooding, according to the city’s Facebook page.
Having two major floods in recent months has been devastating, the police chief said, and added: “August was nothing compared to this.”
— This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.