The road network in Atlanta, Georgia has been a mess ever since last week, when a fire allegedly started by a homeless resident caused a bridge to collapse on Interstate 85, one of the city’s main transportation arteries.
On April 5 Atlanta’s roads got even worse, when the powerful storm system that caused damage throughout the American southeast also flooded roadways throughout the Atlanta metro area. Police in suburban Doraville cancelled plans to test a tornado siren on Wednesday, and posted the following warning on the Doraville Police Department Facebook page: “Due to the current and continued chances of severe weather, the tornado sirens will NOT conduct their regularly scheduled test! If you hear the sirens today (4-5-17) please take shelter immediately!” Officials in Atlanta’s neighbor DeKalb County urged residents to stay home rather than drive on roads flooded with water a few inches deep.
The flooding was more severe in certain parts of Atlanta itself. The video clip below shows an Atlanta Public Works truck attempting to cross a flooded road before getting stuck in water deep enough to completely submerge its tires. Ironically, WSB-TV reports that the reason that public works truck went out in the first place was to set up barricades keeping drivers off of flooded roads.
A WSB news drone also caught footage of Peachtree Creek overflowing its banks.
Knee-deep floodwaters covered residential streets in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood.
The storm also generated intense lightning.
A tornado watch remains in effect until at least 10 p.m. EDT. No injuries have been reported so far.
This post will be updated.