Hall County road collapse strands 50 homes after heavy rainfall
Hall County deals with heavy flood damage
A massive road collapse left 50 homes stranded in Hall County on Saturday after relentless storms carved a 20-foot crater through a local neighborhood drive.
HALL COUNTY, Ga. - Crews in Hall County are working around the clock to repair a massive road washout along Falcon Crest Drive after heavy rain swamped the area on Friday.
What we know:
Crews worked Saturday to fill a gap deeper than 20 feet along Falcon Crest Drive in Hall County after heavy rain on Friday washed out the surface.
Hall County officials reported that vegetation from a nearby stream clogged a 72-inch pipe beneath the street, causing rushing water to destroy the road.
RELATED: Heavy rain causes road collapse and power outages in Hall County
The collapse left 50 homes stranded on the other side with no way out.
Local resident Connor Stine said he was heading to work when the asphalt caved in, comparing the rushing water to whitewater rafting.
Stine noted that neighbors organized quickly to keep traffic back, and power was lost during the collapse.
What they're saying:
The torrential rain also flooded a mobile home park in Gainesville, where waters rose to doorways and dislodged front steps.
Resident Ricardo Carrillo worked to repair his steps and explained in Spanish that while his home was mostly spared, neighbors suffered worse damage.
Another neighbor stated off camera that his refrigerator had stopped working because of the rising water.
"I've been here 25 years. I haven't really seen one like it," Stine said. "I've seen heavy rain, but I haven't seen it that heavy for that long."
What's next:
Heavy-duty trucks loaded with gravel and materials continue moving through the area while workers attempt to rebuild the washed-out section.
Hall County officials stated they aim to open at least one lane of traffic projected to open on Sunday morning, with plans to have the road completely paved by mid-week.
Stine commended local response efforts as repair teams made rapid progress.
"Honestly, very impressed with how fast Hall County is doing everything," Stine said. "I mean, it was not a very easy task. And the road completely disappeared. We had no power."
What we don't know:
Officials have not yet provided a complete cost estimate for the road reconstruction or total property damage. It remains unclear how long full utility restoration will take for all affected homes in the area.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FOX 5 reporter Rey Llerena, who covered the flood damage on location, as well as official statements from Hall County government representatives.