Heavy rains cause flash flooding, water rescues on Georgia-Tennessee border

McCAYSVILLE, Ga. -- Thunderstorms with heavy rain caused record flooding overnight in twin towns straddling the Georgia-Tennessee border, submerging some buildings to their rooflines on Thursday as emergency responders rescued dozens of people.

The storms dropped 3 to 5 inches (8 to 13 centimeters) of rain in a mountainous area where the Toccoa River flows between McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee, causing life-threatening flooding and flash flood warnings on both sides.

McCaysville is home to about 1,000 people, while Copperhill has fewer than 500 residents.

The Toccoa River reached a record high Thursday morning of 18 feet (5.5 meters) after the overnight deluge, according to a river gauge in Copperhill.

The river was 2 feet (0.6 meters) above the level where forecasters call for a catastrophic flood that tops bridges and cuts off Copperhill and McCaysville as well as requiring massive evacuations.

“It’s over the rooftops in several different areas. Right here in our downtown business district it’s about 6-7 feet high,” McCaysville Police Chief Michael Earley told Fox5 Atlanta. “I have one of my police cars that’s floating down the river right now. Don’t know where it’s at, but it’s somewhere down there.”

Photos shared with local media showed some buildings submerged up to their rooflines. Local news video footage showed rescue crews in red boats and motorized rafts navigating through deep, rushing water flowing through downtown streets. Earley said more than 30 rescues were conducted overnight.

Robert Poole, spokesperson for the Fannin County Emergency Management Agency on the Georgia side, estimated that about 20 people had been rescued, with no reported injuries or deaths. The water had begun receding by late Thursday morning, he said.

“The calls have slowed down as far as people stranded that need rescues, so we’re probably going to end up utilizing a helicopter and possibly some drones just to do an aerial survey and see if there’s anybody out there that needs our help,” he said.

“Please do not let the rain stopping give you a false sense of security,” the agency said on social media. “Floodwaters remain extremely dangerous, and conditions can continue to worsen even after the rain has stopped.”