ROSWELL, Ga. – As scores of boundless rainwater spilled over the banks of the Chattahoochee River this morning, drivers moving along Azalea Drive were forced to make a choice: take a detour, or take a chance.
“Don’t ever assume your vehicle can pass through a flooded roadway,” Chad Miller, a fire and life safety educator from the Roswell Fire Department.
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Unfortunately, it was a lesson at least four drivers learned the hard way early Wednesday morning as swift floodwaters spilled over the banks of the Chattahoochee River.
Miller said it appeared those drivers ignored signs to turn around.
“After those barricades were set up, we did have some vehicles that were traveling around the barricades,” Miller told FOX 5. “There are four vehicles that have stalled out.”
The Chattahoochee’s water levels rose quickly overnight, surging more than 2-feet in less than 12 hours. By morning, those water levels had surpassed the 9-foot flood stage threshold.
With nowhere to go, that water swept onto nearby Azalea Drive before the sun rose, making a scary situation downright dangerous.
“Flood roadways are very unpredictable, and it’s very hard to tell, especially during the nighttime hours or when the sun is starting to set or starting to rise, to able to determine how deep the water actually is,” Miller admitted.
Cars stuck on Azalea Drive as the Chattahoochee spills over on March 6, 2024, flooding the roadway.
Thankfully, there were no injuries reported.
Remember, it only takes six-inches of water to knock a person off his or her feet, and only a foot of water to sweep away a sedan.
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