Flash Flooding Forces Dozens of Rescues Along Georgia-Tennessee Border
Flash flooding along the Georgia-Tennessee border forced dozens of rescues on Thursday, November 5, 2026, after severe storms brought heavy rain to communities in the area late on November 4 and into the morning. The Guardian reported the rescues and the rainfall.
The hardest-hit town appears to be McCaysville, Georgia, which sits just across the Toccoa River from Copperhill, Tennessee. McCaysville received up to five inches (13 centimetres) of rain by Thursday morning. The National Weather Service said the town faced life-threatening flash flooding, a fast and sudden rise of water that can occur within minutes of heavy rain. The agency issued a flash flood warning for the border area until mid-morning and described the situation as particularly dangerous. It also issued Flash Flood Emergency alerts for both McCaysville and Copperhill. Its warning named Ducktown, Turtletown, the William L. Davenport Refuge, Copperhill and Hot House as places expected to see flooding.
McCaysville Police Chief Michael Earley said more than 30 people had been rescued by boat by mid-morning, and that floodwater in some parts of town reached six to seven feet high. Fox 5 Atlanta reported that at least 46 people had been rescued in McCaysville. The Fannin County Emergency Management Agency estimated that about 20 people had been rescued across the north Georgia flooding, and it reported no injuries. Floodwaters reached above rooftops in some areas of McCaysville, according to Fox 5 Atlanta and ABC News.
The agency said swift-water rescue teams had evacuated residents, but that numerous people remained stranded. WJHL, citing the Associated Press carried the county's account.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced that the state's emergency management agency was leading a multi-agency flood response using aircraft and boats. WDTV reported that the flooding across north Georgia had prompted a state of emergency.
Officials in Copperhill, Tennessee, issued evacuation warnings for some residents at 3 a.m. Eastern time. A boil water advisory, which tells residents to boil tap water before drinking it because it may be unsafe, was issued for McCaysville. Fannin and Gilmer County schools announced closures because of hazardous road conditions.
A river along the Georgia-Tennessee border rose to a record level during the flooding, according to Fox Weather.
The National Weather Service forecast cooler and drier conditions for North and Central Georgia over the weekend, continuing into early next week.
