ATLANTA (WANF/Gray News) – Several water rescues were taking place across Atlanta Friday morning as Tropical Storm Helene sweeps through the area.
In Buckhead, Atlanta Fire Rescue Department crews were loading people and pets onto rafts and shuttling them across the flooded areas at Peachtree Park Apartments. In northwest Atlanta, swift water crews were seen with boats near Bohler Road, which is right by the overflowing Peachtree Creek. And on Battleview Drive, a family of three — including an infant — and two dogs were rescued from the top of a half-submerged car.
The fire department said it has rescued 25 people so far in the Peachtree Creek/Peachtree Battle area. Those affected are sheltering in buses as the flooding continues.
As of 6 a.m., Atlanta has received nearly 10 inches of rain from the powerful storm system.
In Buckhead, the flooding happened as large amounts of water rushed downhill, according to the fire department. In some sections of the road, vehicles are submerged up to their roofs.
Residents said that they woke up around 1 a.m. and saw standing water in their apartment. One woman said the water was up to her shoulders as she evacuated.
Jake and Jackson, two of the complex’s residents, said they helped their neighbors move items or get to the higher apartments.
“I talked to one of the neighbors, and she said the side of the complex floods just about any time it rains heavily for a couple of days, but never this bad. It’s unreal,” Jackson said. “A lot of the second floor neighbors have been lending their couches, lending spare rooms, just helping out. It’s nice to see the community come together that way.”
Jake said the water was knee-deep in the first apartment they entered.
“We’ve just been telling people to stuff towels by the door, try to keep it out as much as possible,” he said.
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