Dozens of residents in the Falling Waters subdivision in Demorest are stranded this morning after floodwaters washed out a section of the main road.
The road collapsed in the pre-dawn hours. Fortunately, there were no reports of any injuries.
Public Safety responded to the area around 5:30 a.m. Homeowners say about 20 homes are located on a dead-end beyond the washed-out road. They are unable to leave in vehicles. Neighbors have been checking on them and shuttling bottled water to them by foot.
The road collapse caused a leak in the water main running to the subdivision. Demorest Water Department crews are on the scene waiting to repair it. They expect to have those repairs completed today but there is no telling how long it will take for the road to be repaired.
Falling Water Road is just one of multiple roads in Habersham that have been washed out by swollen streams after the remnants of Hurricane Delta dumped over 8 inches of rain on some parts of the county. Widespread heavy rain of between 4-8 inhes fell in the area from early Saturday into the pre-dawn hours Sunday.
And the rain still isn’t over. The forecast calls for a 70% chance of showers and possible thunderstorms in Habersham and extreme Northeast Georgia today. A Flash Flood Warning remains in effect for Habersham and Rabun counties until 1:45 p.m. and those counties remain under a Flash Flood Watch until 12 a.m. Monday.
As of 11:25 a.m., traffic was still being detoured around downtown Demorest past Piedmont College due to downed trees and power lines. Please avoid the area if possible. If you must travel through Demorest, the detour veers off of Central Avenue onto Demorest Lake Road.
UPDATE 9:28 a.m. Sunday:
At 8:13 a.m., widespread significant flooding was lingering across the Habersham and Rabun. County officials are reporting a few roads still closed and some mudslides. Georgia Power and HEMC crews are working to restore electricity to hundreds of customers in Habersham, Hall, White, Rabun, and surrounding counties.
Habersham E-911 reports numerous roads flooded, multiple water rescues, and potential structural flooding. “We’re extremely slammed,” a dispatcher told Now Habersham before daw Sunday. “It’s all over the county.”
“Personnel are still on rescues and multiple roads washed out and impassible,” says Habersham County Emergency Services Director Chad Black.
Pitts Park in Clarkesville, which is known for flooding after heavy rains, is completely underwater with only the tops of swingsets and pavilions showing. The Soque River overran its banks and flooded not only the park but the nearby sod farm and Beaver Dam Road. There are reports of flooding in the Soque Trails subdivision in Demorest, as well.
Residents should remain wary of high flows throughout the North Georgia Power lake system and high flows throughout the Chattooga basin.
Some locations that will experience flooding include Clayton, Cornelia, Mount Airy, Mountain City, Tiger, Dillard, Sky Valley, Tallulah Falls, Lakemont, Black Rock Mountain State Park, Lake Rabun, Tallulah Gorge State Park, Lake Burton, Seed Lake, Turnerville, Hollywood, and Pine Mountain.
If you’re out on the roads, obey all barricades and avoid flooded roadways. Do not attempt to drive through flooded areas. Turn around, don’t drown!
Also, if you have reports of flooding or damage, please email us at [email protected] and share it on our Facebook page to help keep our community informed.
Delta rain dump
The remnants of Hurricane Delta dumped 4-6 inches of rain on Habersham County since about 10 p.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. As much as 8 inches fell on the county since Saturday morning.
The forecast calls for the possibility of more showers and thunderstorms throughout the day Sunday.
At 6:30 a.m. Sunday, the Chattahoochee River reached 20.6 feet and was more than 6 feet above flood stage.
Excessive runoff and stream rises will continue for at least another hour or so. No more significant rainfall is expected.
Residents living near small streams should continue to watch stream levels closely and seek higher ground as areas that do not normally flood may flood as a result of this morning’s heavy rain.
The National Weather Service has canceled its Flash Flood Watch for all areas of North Georgia except Habersham and Rabun counties. The Watch remains in effect for those counties, Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina until 12 a.m. Monday.
Now Habersham will continue to provide updates as new information becomes available.
