Clean-up efforts underway in North Georgia after severe flooding, residents could be without water 'for days'

CHATTOOGA COUNTY, Ga. - Recovery and clean-up efforts were well underway Monday in Chattooga and Floyd counties after heavy rains over the weekend pounded the area, leaving streets submerged and property damaged.

Restaurants and other establishments tried to reopen for business following the massive flooding in Summerville and surrounding communities. Residents remained under a boil water advisory Monday.

Daniel Mitchell spent the morning delivering portable restrooms to area businesses.

"We started last night about 6:30 a.m., the calls started coming in," said Mitchell who runs a plumbing service. "The McDonald's was the first one to call us they were the first one to get back open they had to have units to service the first responders and the people who just ain't got no water no power."

Flood damage extensive in Chattooga and Floyd counties (FOX 5 Atlanta).

Heavy rains left parts of Chattooga County underwater Sunday morning. The area saw about a foot of rain, more than a month's worth in just 24 hours, flooding roads and damaging property. By Monday floodwaters had receded, but with a boil water advisory is still in effect.

Summerville Mayor Harry Harvey says the storm flooded the city's water plant, leaving as many as 8,500 hundred customers without water.

"It got into machinery—electrical problems—and some of our pumps," Harvey said. "It will probably take at least three to four days, and we don’t have the timeline.

Jamie Mitchell lives in the area. She says she and her family are totally without water.

"You have to get the bottled water to do any drinking, cooking," she said. "We have no water to flush the toilets or anything at home."

City leaders have handed out hundreds of cases of water to resident and have brought in a tanker to supply water. They say they will give out water until the problem is fixed.

Gov. Brian Kemp has declared a state of emergency for Chattooga and Floyd counties to assist in the access to funds as resident do what they can to get their lives back on track.

Kevin Godfrey is doing what he can to help. The local business owner, his family and co-workers pitched a tent across form a local park, and distributed cases of water.

"We just try to give back to the county every time we can. Generally we go out of town and do this, but it's a little different when it's at home," Godfrey said. "None of the stores have water either so all the water was bought out we had to go into town to bring it in."

Flood damage extensive in Chattooga and Floyd counties (FOX 5 Atlanta).

Godfrey owns a tree service. After spending the morning passing out water he went to work removing a huge tree that gave way on Lauree Curran's property after the storm.

"I'm a heart patient, I can't do much this means the world to me," Curran told FOX 5. "I just want to cry, really this is really beautiful."

While local leaders respond to the crisis, flood victims say they are grateful for the helping hand, neighbor helping neighbor.