Safety · Friday, November 6, 2026
Record Toccoa–Ocoee flood forces Georgia emergency as Copperhill floods along the state line
The File desk · Nov. 6, 2026, 7:40 a.m. ET
Confirmed3 primary sourcesAdded 7:40 a.m. ET, Nov. 6
Status
Confirmed. Georgia's emergency order, TEMA's Flash Report #1 listing, and the National Weather Service Peachtree City flash-flood statement are Confirmed. Death and injury counts, and exact rescue totals, are not stated in these primaries.
- ConfirmedGovernor Kemp declared a State of Emergency for severe flooding in Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, and Union Counties (EO 11.05.26.01, Nov. 5).
- ConfirmedTEMA: overnight 8–10″ rain, Copperhill flash flooding; NOAA crest 18.05 ft (record); Ocoee below Action stage by 11:00 a.m. CT (Flash Report #1 listing, Nov. 5, 12:48 p.m.).
- ConfirmedNWS: heavy rain ended; flood waters slowly receding; heed remaining road closures (FFSFFC, 1053 a.m. EST Nov. 5).
Heavy rain sent the Toccoa River — which becomes the Ocoee when it crosses from Georgia into Tennessee — to a historic crest early Thursday, flooding Copperhill, Tenn., and prompting mudslides, water rescues, flooded homes, and evacuations along the Toccoa on the Georgia side. Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency for four North Georgia counties. The river hit a record 18.05 feet Thursday morning, and by 11 a.m. Central Time the Ocoee had crested and begun to fall.12
Between Wednesday and Thursday, parts of North Georgia received up to ten inches of rain. The National Weather Service issued a Flash Flood Warning for Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, and Union Counties on Wednesday, then escalated to a Flash Flood Emergency — the service's highest flash-flood alert, used when flooding poses an imminent threat to life — for portions of those counties that evening and into Thursday morning.1
The Toccoa River in Georgia becomes the Ocoee River in Tennessee at the twin towns of McCaysville, Ga., and Copperhill, Tenn. Overnight, eight to ten inches of rain fell in areas of the watershed that feeds Polk County, causing flash flooding predominantly in Copperhill.2
Local emergency management agencies and law enforcement reported mudslides, water rescues, water entering homes, and evacuations along the Toccoa River.1 By late Thursday morning, the National Weather Service said the heavy rain had ended, floodwaters were starting to slowly recede, and remaining road closures should still be heeded.3
Governor Kemp's order, dated Nov. 5 and effective upon signature, declares a State of Emergency in Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, and Union Counties. It runs seven days, through Thursday, Nov. 12, at 11:59 p.m. unless renewed, and coexists with Georgia's separate petroleum-supply emergency. The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency is to activate the Georgia Emergency Operations Plan and the State Operations Center; state resources are made available for response and recovery. The order also prohibits price gouging on goods and services needed for preparation, response, and recovery, including water and motor fuel.1
Why it matters (Estimate). Estimate. Life-threatening flash flooding hit a shared Georgia–Tennessee river basin at a record crest; Georgia put four counties under a week-long state of emergency for response and recovery while waters were still receding and roads stayed closed. This is our reading.
How we know
Notes
- 1.Georgia Executive Order 11.05.26.01, "State of Emergency for Severe Flooding," Nov. 5, 2026 (Governor Brian P. Kemp). Scanned PDF / OCR from official download. Confirmed. Source 1. Download: https://gov.georgia.gov/document/2026-executive-order/11052601/download Listing: https://gov.georgia.gov/executive-action/executive-orders/2026
- 2.TEMA Newsroom listing, "Flash Report #1 - Polk County Flooding," Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026, 12:48 p.m. Full flash-report page did not open this pass (403/404); listing blurb used. Confirmed. Source 2. https://www.tn.gov/tema/news.html
- 3.National Weather Service Peachtree City, Flash Flood Statement FFSFFC, 1053 AM EST Thu Nov 5 2026. Confirmed. Source 3. https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&issuedby=FFC&product=FFS&format=CI&version=1&glossary=1
What is still unknown or disputed
- Exact death or injury counts (none stated in these primaries).
- Exact number of water rescues, homes flooded, or people evacuated.
- Full inventory of closed roads or bridges beyond "remaining road closures."
- Whether Tennessee issued a parallel statewide emergency for Polk County (not in the TEMA listing text used).
Primary sources
Every claim in this story is drawn from the documents below. If a fetch failed, that is recorded on the card.
Source 1
State of Emergency for Severe Flooding
Governor of Georgia · November 5, 2026
Executive Order 11.05.26.01 declares a State of Emergency for severe flooding in Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, and Union Counties. It runs through Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. unless renewed.
https://gov.georgia.gov/document/2026-executive-order/11052601/download
Source 2
Flash Report #1 - Polk County Flooding
Tennessee Emergency Management Agency · November 5, 2026
Overnight 8–10" of rain in watershed impacting Polk County; flash flooding predominantly in City of Copperhill; per NOAA, the river crested at 18.05 feet (record high); as of 11:00 a.m. CT, Ocoee River crested and is now below Action stage.
https://www.tn.gov/tema/news.html
Source 3
Flash Flood Statement FFSFFC
National Weather Service Peachtree City · November 5, 2026
Heavy rain ended; flood waters starting to slowly recede; heed remaining road closures. Issued 1053 a.m. EST Thu Nov 5 2026.
https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&issuedby=FFC&product=FFS&format=CI&version=1&glossary=1