McCaysville residents rally together amid ongoing flood cleanup
McCaysville recovers after storm drops 7 inches of rain
A massive cleanup effort is underway in McCaysville after a severe storm dropped over seven inches of rain in eight hours, triggering flash flooding. City leaders declared a state of emergency after drainage systems tied to State Road 5 construction were overwhelmed, flooding the police department, post office, and local businesses. State and local crews have since reopened SR 5 as recovery and water conservation efforts continue.
MCCAYSVILLE, Ga. - A weekend storm dumped several inches of rain on Fannin County in eight hours, leading to massive flash flooding that crippled downtown McCaysville and compromised the municipal water supply.
What we know:
Torrential rainfall hit the area Saturday night, causing water levels to rise chest-deep along city streets and leaving behind heavy deposits of mud.
Officials from the Georgia Department of Transportation noted that the storm cell had a less than 1% chance of impacting the area in a given year.
The high waters swept debris, gravel and silt from construction on State Route 5 into local storm drains, clogging the system. Water bumped against the bottom of the Toccoa River bridge, giving the runoff from Blue Ridge Drive nowhere to go as it funneled into town.
Local business owners remain unable to open due to water contamination concerns across the local infrastructure.
"They won't let any businesses open because of the water being contaminated," said Diana Leal, whose family owns Mexico Loco.
Resident Leslie Murray said she relies on bottled water brought in by truck because her tap water is insufficient even to boil.
"I need it because I don't even have enough coming out of my faucet to boil. And we are on a boil water alert," Murray explained.
Local perspective:
The Tennessee Valley Authority has trucked in water to assist residents affected by the disrupted municipal water system.
Neighboring Copperhill, Tennessee, also experienced infrastructure damage from the floodwaters.
Community members have rallied together to support affected business owners and neighbors throughout the cleanup process.
"It's really great to see all of us reunite together," Leal said.
What's next:
McCaysville Police Chief and Public Safety Director Michael Earley said local officials have been coordinating with Georgia Emergency Management to secure recovery resources. "Any resources that they have that we need, they've been willing to send up," Earley said.
State transportation officials assured local authorities that they will investigate long-term flood mitigation strategies for future storms. Meanwhile, the boil water advisory remains active until water safety can be guaranteed.
What we don't know:
Officials have not yet confirmed an exact date for when the boil water advisory will be lifted for city residents.
It remains unclear when affected downtown businesses will receive state clearance to reopen their doors to the public.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from McCaysville Police Chief and Public Safety Director Michael Earley, who detailed the city's drainage clogging and emergency response, as well as local business owners Diana Leal and Leslie Murray, who shared how the boil water advisory impacted daily operations. Statements provided by the Georgia Department of Transportation were also included.