Devastating floods ravage Metro Atlanta--Flooding deaths in Atlanta area

This picture shows flooding at Dog Creek at Hwy 5, Douglas County, Georgia on September 21, 2009. The deck holds the USGS automated water-monitoring and transmission equipment that allows for real-time display of current stream conditions on our Web pages.
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Unfortunately, the story today in weather is not a good one at all. With days of rain, starting with the rain when I was trying to travel back to Georgia on Wednesday, the Atlanta Metro area and surrounding areas have been inundated with anywhere from 5-20" of rain. With some areas receiving 20" of rainfall during a period of only 36 hours, it spells out widespread flooding and mudslides. Sadly many water rescues have occurred, and already 5 7 (the number has risen since I started blogging--link) are reported dead and several people are unaccounted for and considered missing.

It has not been confirmed, however, that the body found Tuesday is one of two missing teenage boys who attempted to rescue a trapped motorist and were swept away. One of the teens was rescued. Four deaths occurred in Douglas County, with Gwinnett and Carroll also reporting fatalities. A 2-year-old died in Carroll County after heavy rain washed his family's trailer away. Carroll County Sheriff Terry E. Langley confirmed that Preston Slade Crawford's body was found Monday afternoon about a mile from his home, in some debris near the road.
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It's a tragic situation of loss and suffering. Schools are closed because of road closures (over 100 roads in the Atlanta Metro area, including parts of I75 and I285).

Current listing of road closures
List of smaller roads closed

Evacuations have taken place. Homes have been overtaken by water. It's a grim situation, and since we experienced it locally in April, and are still recovering... many folks here know all too well what lies ahead for residents of Metro Atlanta.

Link to flooding map in Georgia
Flood and High Flow map

Two men and two women died in Douglas County in separate incidents, officials said.

In each case, Douglas Sheriff Phil Miller said the driver was trying to cross flooded roadways.
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Turn Around, Don't Drown™ is the best advice I could possibly offer anyone in that area. With all area creeks and streams risen to major flood levels, roads and bridges have been compromised... what you might think you're seeing as water over the road could very easily (and scarily likely be) water INSTEAD OF the road. In the picture below, water had risen above the road level, meaning at one point... it looks like water over the bridge, when in fact, there was no bridge there at all. Don't risk it people, TURN AROUND!!!

John Spink, AJC -- A section of Post Road washed away about a mile south of I-20 in Winston.

God be with those impacted, and I sure hope it doesn't result in flooding here...
~Dewdrop