Record Flooding in North Georgia Triggers Water Rescues and State of Emergency in McCaysville

Record Floods Inundate North Georgia Towns as Rivers Crest at 18 Feet

Severe thunderstorms dropped up to 10 inches of rain across northern Georgia overnight, forcing emergency responders to conduct dozens of water rescues as twin towns along the state border submerged under record-breaking floodwaters, Atlanta News First reported.

The heavy rainfall swelled the Toccoa River, which crested at a record-high 18 feet on Thursday morning. The surge sent rushing water surging through McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee, reaching depths of 6 to 7 feet in the downtown business districts and covering several buildings to their rooflines.

Michael Earley, McCaysville’s chief of police, said he had never witnessed such severe flooding. Earley watched one of his own police cruisers float down the river as emergency personnel navigated the deep currents in motorized rafts and red rescue boats.

More than 30 water rescues took place overnight. Robert Poole, a spokesperson for the Fannin County Emergency Management Agency, estimated that roughly 20 people had been pulled from the high water on the Georgia side, with no injuries or deaths immediately reported.

Infrastructure Damage and Evacuations Prompt States of Emergency

McCaysville and the surrounding region declared states of emergency as bridges were topped and transit routes cut off. Officials in Fannin and Gilmer counties issued flash flood warnings that stretched into the early morning hours, advising residents to stay off dangerous roads and seek higher ground.

The relentless runoff also shut down the McCaysville water treatment plant, forcing local leaders to issue a boil water advisory for residents. Nearby, a propane tank caught fire near a building surrounded by floodwaters, adding a secondary hazard for first responders.

Gov. Brian Kemp stated that state agencies and neighboring Tennessee were deploying aviation and boat assets to assist with evacuations. Local officials cautioned that receding water did not signal an immediate end to the danger.

The Fannin County Emergency Management Agency advised residents not to let the rain stopping give them a false sense of security, noting that floodwaters remain extremely dangerous and conditions can continue to worsen even after the rain has stopped.

Schools in Fannin and Gilmer counties canceled all classes, including both in-person instruction and remote learning. Fannin County government offices, including the local courthouse, closed for the day as officials assessed the widespread structural damage.

Further downstream, the Tennessee Valley Authority managed water levels by controlling flows at three hydroelectric dams as the Toccoa River fed into the Ocoee River. The same downtown district in McCaysville previously experienced significant flooding in August, which Michael Earley attributed at the time to drainage issues connected to nearby highway construction rather than the river itself.

More on this story: Catastrophic Flash Flooding Triggers Water Rescues and Evacuations in North Georgia and Tennessee

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