Heavy rainfall leads to flooding in Floyd County

ROME, Ga. (FOX 5 Atlanta) - After several days of heavy rain, parts of Floyd County were under a Flood Warning as of Friday evening.

Layton Roberts lives in Rome's Horse Lake Community. His home is near the area where the Oostanaula and Etowah Rivers come together to form the Coosa River. A retaining wall divides his property and the river.

“There's still a good bit of retaining wall it's not over,” says Roberts. “But, again, the yard is on a slope, so it would have to rise a good bit in order to get in the house.”

As of Friday at 9:45 a.m., the National Weather Service measured the Oostanaula River near Rome at 32.4 feet and rising. Flood stage is at 30 feet. Minor damage has been reported in some communities.

Flooding is a problem along N. Pennington and Branham Avenue. The Coosa River spilled its banks and sent water into the neighborhood.

“Here you've got a guy whose house is surrounded by water,” Bill Kerestes told FOX 5's Kerry Charles. “Our duplex over here has got about another 18 inches before the water goes in the basement.”

Kerestes fears more rain Friday night could mean his family staying put.

“Once we get locked in that's not a problem,” says Kerestes. “As long as we've got power, we've got provisions and everything [we're fine]. It's the afterward damage if you've got mold and things of that nature in your properties.”

FOX 5 Storm Team Chief Meteorologist David Chandley says rain should move out of north Georgia on Saturday.