McCaysville, Georgia — Governor Brian Kemp says Georgia state agencies are working side by side with local emergency crews as catastrophic flooding continues to grip northwest Georgia, with rescues still under way and a local state of emergency in effect in McCaysville.

WHAT IS HAPPENING:

Heavy rain drove the Toccoa River up 15 feet overnight, rising about 2 feet an hour, a record rise that swamped McCaysville in a matter of hours. The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency is coordinating the response, backed by the Georgia Department of Public Safety and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. State crews are using boats and aircraft to reach stranded residents, and emergency teams from nearby counties and Tennessee have joined the effort. Governor Kemp urged anyone in the flooded area to get to higher ground and follow the directions of local emergency officials.

LOCAL IMPACTS:

More than 30 water rescues were carried out overnight in McCaysville. One 90-year-old woman was stranded on her kitchen countertop while she waited for rescuers to reach her. A propane tank caught fire in town as crews worked to control the flames. Floodwater has pushed into homes across Fannin County, in some places leaving houses completely surrounded by water. The McCaysville Water System is under a boil water advisory until further notice. Georgia highways 5 and 60 are closed in places by floodwater, and schools in Fannin and Gilmer counties closed Thursday. An emergency shelter opened Thursday morning at the Fannin County Recreation Center on Tom Boyd Road in Blue Ridge. This is the second devastating flood for McCaysville in three months, after August floodwaters took down City Hall and many buildings residents had just rebuilt.

WHAT TO DO:

• If you see water rising around you, get to higher ground immediately.

• - Turn around, do not drown. Never drive or walk through floodwater.

• - Listen to local emergency officials and follow evacuation orders.

• - Boil water before drinking or cooking if you are on the McCaysville Water System.

• - If you need shelter, head to the Fannin County Recreation Center on Tom Boyd Road in Blue Ridge.

• Source: 95.5 WSB, November 5, 2026. Reported by TNW News.