State of Emergency declared in McCaysville following severe floods
McCaysville recovers after devastating floods
A North Georgia tourist city is slowly reopening after road construction debris clogged storm drains and flooded the business district.
MCCAYSVILLE, Ga. - A massive cleanup effort is underway in downtown McCaysville after severe flooding that city officials say was caused by a nearby roadway construction project submerged the business district in mud and water.
What we know:
Mayor Terry Arp, Vice Mayor Jason Woody and Public Safety Director and Chief of Police Michael Earley officially declared a State of Emergency for the City of McCaysville.
Heavy flooding struck the downtown area due to major drainage issues tied to ongoing State Highway 5 road construction rather than river overflow.
The disaster inundated the McCaysville Police Department and the Post Office. Water also flooded numerous businesses along the Riverwalk, throughout downtown McCaysville and several residential properties.
McCaysville declares state of emergency after downtown flooding
Officials in McCaysville, Georgia, have declared a state of emergency following significant downtown flooding linked to drainage issues from ongoing State Highway 5 construction. The floodwaters have inundated local businesses along the Riverwalk, the McCaysville Police Department, and the local post office. Blue Ridge Drive remains closed until further notice, and residents are being asked to avoid the downtown area and conserve water as recovery efforts begin.
Earley said four-lane highway construction along State Road 5 caused gravel and silt to fill storm drains, triggering significant flooding across the city.
Earley said the water was chest-deep at one point.
The flooding also cut power to the city water plant for several hours, prompting officials to ask residents to avoid drinking the water and to conserve supplies.
"As you probably saw, the river looks like the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory right now, so we're slowly trying to filter that water and get it back up where it needs to be," Earley said.
The main road reopened to normal traffic Sunday afternoon.
What's next:
For safety reasons, officials closed Blue Ridge Drive from Pat’s Country Kitchen to the IGA intersection. However, the road has since been opened to traffic.
Crews continue responding to the situation and beginning recovery efforts while asking the community for patience and support. Officials ask everyone to keep residents, business owners and first responders in their thoughts and prayers.
What you can do:
Chief Earley issued an urgent notice asking all customers on the City of McCaysville water system to stop using water immediately except for absolute emergencies. Severe flooding caused the water treatment plant to lose power for an extended period, leading to a significant loss of treated water.
Major leaks caused by flooding cannot be contained at this time, making conservation critical until power is restored and system stability returns. Community members must refrain from using water for non-essential purposes to preserve the remaining supply.
What they're saying:
Earley noted that state officials are analyzing the situation and that contracted workers with C.W. Matthews, along with members from the Georgia Department of Transportation, are handling the current work.
Members of the Georgia State Defense Force also arrived Sunday to help with cleanup efforts.
Business owners spent hours sweeping out mud, including David Correa and his son Christopher at the Rum Cake Lady Cuban Cafe.
"Imagine you're seeing your livelihood getting washed away by rain. Not a happy moment," Correa said. "I had to open the doors to let the water come out of the building. That's how bad it was. I think it came to probably a little over a foot of water out here in the street."
After cleaning for more than 10 hours Sunday, Correa said he believes his business will reopen soon.
Earley warned that the temporary closures will create a financial strain on workers and local shop owners in the mountain tourist town.
"A lot of people that live in this community, they have to work in our restaurants, our shops, and that's their main source of income," Earley said. "Having to shut that down at any given time, especially in this economy, is tough."
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from McCaysville Police Chief and Public Safety Director Michael Earley, who explained the flooding cause and city response, Rum Cake Lady Cuban Cafe co-owner David Correa, who detailed local business damage, and a viewer who provided drone video of cleanup efforts.