Flash floods on Georgia-Tennessee border prompt dozens of rescues as Toccoa River hits record

Storms and flash flooding along the state line

Severe thunderstorms swept the Georgia-Tennessee border late on Wednesday, 4 November, and continued into Thursday, 5 November. Heavy rain sent the Toccoa River over its banks in McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee, two towns separated by the river and the state line. The National Weather Service said McCaysville had received up to five inches (13 centimeters) of rain by Thursday morning. A Portuguese-language report gave a higher figure of 20 to 25 centimeters in some parts of Georgia over a few hours.

Rising water and rescue operations

McCaysville police chief Michael Earley said floodwaters in the town's downtown area reached seven feet overnight, and rescue crews used boats to reach people stranded in homes and vehicles. A police vehicle was seen floating down the Toccoa River. A U.S. Geological Survey gauge at Copperhill recorded a water level above 18 feet on Thursday morning. Earley described the scale of the flooding in comments reported by WSMV.

“I've never seen flooding like this in my life”

Rescue tallies differed by timing and source. Earley said more than 30 people had been rescued by boat by mid-morning, and a local report later put the number of water rescues above 50. The Fannin County Emergency Management Agency said more than 55 people were rescued in Fannin County, while Tennessee's Kristin Coulter said 58 people were rescued by the state's swift water teams near the border. Authorities later reported more than 80 people saved, and The New York Times described more than 100 people rescued by boat on both sides of the state line.

Warnings and a trapped driver

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the area until mid-morning Thursday, urging residents to seek higher ground. A Fannin County emergency management spokesperson said a driver had been swept down a creek in his car, that crews lost contact with him, and that they had an address and were working to reach him. Crews were also stretched by several structure fires that started when lightning struck buildings during the storms. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said the state emergency management agency was leading a multi-agency response using aviation and boat assets, along with local counties and Tennessee first responders.

“Please avoid unnecessary travel and never attempt to drive through flooded roadways.”

Current situation

The Fannin County agency said floodwaters were beginning to recede, but roads could remain flooded, damaged or unsafe for driving. Tennessee officials reported no injuries or fatalities as of the latest report cited by The New York Times. Digi24 reported that authorities declared a state of emergency in several counties, and a Portuguese-language report said McCaysville officials declared an emergency and closed the town for an indefinite period. The Independent reported that the number of people affected was not immediately clear and that several individuals remained stranded in areas crews could not safely reach. No source in this cluster gives a final count of people affected or of damage.