Record Flood Hits McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee: 80+ Rescued, No Deaths Reported

By Samir Ourdyl

Heavy thunderstorms pushed the Toccoa River to a record height early on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026, flooding the twin towns of McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee. Swift-water teams, boats and helicopters pulled dozens of people from the water, and officials reported no deaths as of Thursday.

What happened

Flash flood alerts began going out around 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4, WLOS reported. The Tennessee Valley Authority told the Associated Press that as much as 8 to 10 inches of rain fell overnight between the north Georgia towns of Blue Ridge and Ellijay, and runoff swelled the rivers below. CNN reported that the National Weather Service described the top end of the rainfall totals in north Georgia as a once-in-1,000-years, 12-hour rainfall, which has a 0.1% chance of happening in any given year under normal conditions.

A new river record

The Toccoa River, which becomes the Ocoee River across the state line, reached about 18 feet at the Copperhill gauge. NewsChannel 5 in Nashville, citing NOAA, put the crest at 18.05 feet. AccuWeather and WSMV reported that the previous record was set on Feb. 16, 1990, at roughly 17.75 to 17.8 feet. FOX 5 Atlanta said the river rose about 16 feet in 12 hours, and noted that final measurements and historical rankings are still subject to confirmation by the agencies that keep the gauge records. "Nothing to this extent since 1990," a Fannin County emergency management spokesman told FOX Weather.

Rescues and response

Georgia's Fannin County Emergency Management Agency first reported at least 57 rescues by swift-water teams. Later reports from FOX Weather and FOX 5 Atlanta put the Fannin County total at more than 80. In Tennessee, officials said 68 rescues were completed in Polk County by the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Tennessee National Guard, whose helicopter crews flew aerial rescue missions. The Associated Press described crews in red boats and motorized rafts moving through deep, fast water over downtown streets, while others searched from the air with a helicopter and drones.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency for Fannin, Gilmer, Murray and Union counties. Polk County, Tennessee, also declared an emergency, and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency activated its state operations center to Level 4.

Injuries and damage

McCaysville Police Chief Michael Earley told the Associated Press that one firefighter suffered a minor injury and a few residents were treated for suspected hypothermia and shock, "but from what we could tell, everybody looked to be OK." FOX 5 Atlanta reported that Fannin County Fire Rescue confirmed no loss of life. A propane tank caught fire and exploded outside a McCaysville business, and a responding firefighter was hurt but not seriously, according to FOX Weather and CNN.

Earley said water reached roughly 6 to 7 feet in the small downtown, and the Associated Press reported that some buildings were submerged to their rooflines.

Cleanup begins

By Thursday afternoon the river was back within its banks and left mud and debris across the streets. The flood shut down McCaysville's water treatment plant, so the city is under a boil-water advisory and was distributing drinking water on Friday, Atlanta News First reported. A curfew is in place, and Fannin County schools were closed Friday. In Tennessee, Copperhill Utilities issued a mandatory water-conservation notice, and the American Red Cross is supporting an evacuation center, NewsChannel 5 reported.

This is the second major flood to hit McCaysville in about three months. An August flood damaged the police station, the post office and other businesses, and the renovated police building had reopened only last week, the AP reported. Authorities have not released a final count of displaced residents or damaged properties.

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This article is based on reporting by national and local news outlets that was checked on Nov. 6, 2026. The accompanying video uses AI-generated illustrative scenes and does not show actual footage of the flood.