Two small mountain towns on the Georgia-Tennessee line woke up underwater on Thursday, Nov. 5, after a stalled band of overnight storms sent the Toccoa River, which becomes the Ocoee River across the state line, to what appears to be its highest level on record. Swift-water teams pulled 57 people from flooded homes and streets in Fannin County, Georgia, according to county emergency management, and both McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee, were closed to the public.
No deaths had been reported as of Thursday afternoon. McCaysville Police Chief Michael Earley said there were no major injuries, though a few residents were taken to hospitals, some for hypothermia, and a firefighter was hurt and is expected to recover, according to FOX 5 Atlanta and ABC News.
What happened overnight
A line of showers and thunderstorms moved across the southern Appalachians Wednesday evening ahead of a cold front. Clusters of heavy rain then stalled for hours, dropping 2 to 3 inches per hour at times, The Weather Channel reported. Between 5 and 11 inches fell over a narrow area about 20 miles long and 10 miles wide across Fannin and Gilmer counties. CNN reported that some gauges caught up to 6 inches in six hours, which is at least a 1-in-200-year rainfall.
Because the rain fell on steep mountain slopes, it rushed quickly into creeks and rivers. ABC News reported the Ocoee River climbed from about 4 feet at 10:30 p.m. to 16 feet by 4:30 a.m., then crested at 18.05 feet. The previous record was 17.8 feet, set on Feb. 16, 1990. The river normally runs at about 2.5 feet. FOX 5 Atlanta noted that officials still need to confirm the final measurement.
The National Weather Service issued a rare flash flood emergency for Polk County, Tennessee, around 4 a.m. Thursday, and another for the Fannin County, Georgia, area. Such alerts are reserved for what the agency calls "severe life-threatening flooding capable of catastrophic damage," The Weather Channel reported.
Rescues, fires and closed bridges
Thirteen swift-water rescue teams worked with nine boats through the night, Fannin County Emergency Management spokesperson Robert Poole told FOX 5 Atlanta. ABC News reported some people were rescued from rooftops. U.S. Army Rangers from Camp Merrill in Lumpkin County also helped, and a Black Hawk helicopter searched from overhead.
The storms brought fire as well as water. CNN reported at least four structure fires overnight, likely sparked by lightning, and two buildings, including a home, were lost because floodwaters kept fire trucks away. A propane tank caught fire and exploded outside a McCaysville business.
Both bridges linking the twin towns were topped by water, cutting them off from each other. McCaysville declared a state of emergency and said it would stay closed until further notice. Its water treatment plant is shut down, and a boil-water advisory is in effect. Shelters opened at the city halls in both towns, and Polk County, Tennessee, schools closed for the day.
In Copperhill, Tommy and Sandra Edwards escaped their home along Fightingtown Creek after about 6 feet of water poured in. Sandra Edwards told FOX 5 Atlanta, "I said, we got to get out now."
Seek higher ground and listen to your local emergency officials. — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, via FOX Weather
Kemp said the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency is leading a multi-agency, multi-state response with aircraft and boats, joined by local counties and Tennessee first responders.
A beloved tourist area, hit again
McCaysville and Copperhill sit about 100 miles north of Atlanta and draw visitors for fishing, hiking, tubing and whitewater rafting. The flood struck in the middle of fall leaf season, a busy stretch for local shops and restaurants, and it comes only months after an early August flood that also led McCaysville to declare an emergency.
The disaster is the latest in a run of flash floods across the country in recent weeks, including in Florida and the Desert Southwest, where record flooding forced evacuations earlier this week.
What to watch next
By late morning the river had dropped below 10 feet and was expected to fall below flood stage Thursday afternoon. FOX 5 Atlanta said sunshine is expected Friday and through the weekend. Officials have not yet said how many homes and businesses were damaged or how many people are displaced.
The same storm system is moving east. CNN reported rain will spread to the coastal Mid-Atlantic and Northeast from Thursday night into Saturday morning, with southern New England facing a Level 2 of 4 flood risk and 1 to 3 inches of rain possible. Upstormed News will follow the recovery in Georgia and Tennessee.
Why it matters for families
This flood rose fastest in the middle of the night, when many people were asleep. That is a reminder to keep phone emergency alerts turned on and to have a plan for leaving quickly. Never drive or walk into floodwater, which can hide washed-out roads. If you live in the affected area, follow the boil-water advisory and local instructions before returning home. Our guide to a simple family emergency plan and go-bag checklist can help you get ready.
Read more: Record Southwest Floods Force Evacuations, Change Election Day Voting
Does your family have a plan for a nighttime flood or storm warning? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Sources: ABC News, "Catastrophic flooding leads to closure of cities in Georgia, Tennessee" (November 5, 2026); CNN, "’Catastrophic’ flooding sets off dozens of rescues, inundates homes and businesses in North Georgia and southern Tennessee" (November 5, 2026); FOX 5 Atlanta, "Record flooding devastates scenic Georgia-Tennessee mountain towns" (November 5, 2026); FOX Weather, "Rescues amid Flash Flood Emergency along Georgia-Tennessee border as river rises to record level" (November 5, 2026); The Weather Channel, "Record flooding swamps Tennessee, Georgia towns after nighttime deluge" (November 5, 2026)
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