Overnight thunderstorms unleashed record flash flooding across the twin towns of McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee, on Thursday, submerging some structures to their rooflines and prompting emergency crews to rescue dozens of residents from the fast-rising waters.
By afternoon, the floodwaters had receded, leaving behind a trail of mud, debris, and ruined belongings. Residents returned to find the contents of shops and homes scattered or destroyed, with street sweepers working to clear branches and sludge from the roads.
The storms dumped between 8 and 10 inches (20–25 centimeters) of rain overnight in the mountainous region between Blue Ridge and Ellijay, Georgia, according to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The runoff swelled the Toccoa River, which flows through the border towns and then into the Ocoee River, where the TVA was managing high water levels at three hydroelectric dams.
The Toccoa River peaked at a record 18 feet (5.5 meters) Thursday morning, according to a gauge in Copperhill—2 feet (0.6 meters) above the level forecasters consider “catastrophic.” Copperhill officials urged residents to take shelter in either town’s City Hall as the river surged.
“It’s a little bit heartbreaking,” said Hugh Rogers, owner of McCaysville Drug & Gun since 1997. Rogers received a call around 2:30 a.m. about rising water and arrived to find 4–5 feet (1.2–1.5 meters) of water inside his store, knocking over shelves and destroying an estimated $200,000–$300,000 in inventory. Still, he counted himself luckier than those whose homes were damaged, and said family, friends, and coworkers planned to “come out strong” on Friday to help clean up.
“It’s been our livelihood for 30 years, so we’re going to do what we can to keep it going,” Rogers said.
Emergency responders in red boats and motorized rafts navigated the deep, rushing water that covered downtown streets, while crews went door-to-door and searched from helicopters and drones for anyone needing evacuation. At least 57 people were rescued by swift water teams, according to Fannin County Emergency Management Agency in Georgia, which warned that flooded areas remain dangerous even after the rain stops. The Tennessee Emergency Management Authority reported coordinating 68 swift water rescues.
McCaysville Police Chief Michael Earley said water flowed over rooftops in some places and reached 6–7 feet (1.8–2.1 meters) in the downtown area. “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,” Earley told Fox5 Atlanta early Thursday. One firefighter suffered a minor injury, and a few residents were treated for suspected hypothermia and shock, but “from what we could tell, everybody looked to be OK,” he said.
The emergency response was complicated by cellphone and power outages, Earley said. The flooding also shut down the McCaysville water treatment plant, prompting a boil water advisory, and left the city’s dump trucks and heavy equipment inaccessible.
The adjoining towns are a popular destination for scenic railroad rides—the Blue Ridge Railway on the Georgia side and the Copperhill Special in Tennessee—offering tourists river and mountain views before stopping to sample local restaurants and shops. McCaysville’s downtown was inundated by another flood in August, damaging the police station and post office. The renovated police building had just reopened last week.
“Now here we go again,” Earley said. “A lot of people came together, and we’ve been cleaning the town for the past few months. We’re getting ready for Christmas, a lot of McCaysville events, our Christmas parade. So it’s devastating.” The chief called it “crazy” to be hit with two such damaging floods in just three months. “I don’t know what God is trying to tell me.”
