Downtown floodwater reached about 6-7 feet in McCaysville
Overnight thunderstorms dropped 3 to 5 inches (8 to 13 centimeters) of rain in the mountainous area where the Toccoa River flows between McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee. The storms caused life-threatening flooding and flash flood warnings on both sides of the Georgia-Tennessee border.
Some buildings in the twin towns were submerged to their rooflines, according to photos shared with local media. McCaysville is home to about 1,000 people, while Copperhill has fewer than 500 residents.
“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. Earley also said, “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.”
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.
On the Georgia side of the border, Fannin County Emergency Management Agency spokesman Robert Poole estimated that about 20 people had been rescued. Poole said there were no reported injuries or deaths, and the water had begun to recede by late Thursday morning.
Poole 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.”
The Fannin County Emergency Management Agency warned on social media, “Please do not let the rain stopping give you a false sense of security.” The agency added, “Floodwaters remain extremely dangerous, and conditions can continue to worsen even after the rain has stopped.”