A look back: Columbus ‘really lucky’ to escape major flood damage in 1994

This article first appeared in the Ledger-Enquirer on July 6, 1994.

Although more than four inches of rain fell in Columbus over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, there were no reports of significant flooding and, with one exception, only scattered incidents of homes losing power.

That wasn’t the case statewide, as hundreds of people were driven from their homes and one woman was killed Tuesday as heavy rains sent creeks tearing out of their banks from Atlanta to middle Georgia.

At least one drowning and one traffic death were reported in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Alberto, which dumped up to 15 inches of rain on parts of the state.

Bill Schaub, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said that since Sunday afternoon, 4.06 inches of rain had fallen on Columbus, with more rain expected for today.

“We are really lucky compared to some of the surrounding counties,” said Riley Land, the emergency services director for Columbus.

A creek overflowed its banks and washed out part of Hitchitie Road in Russell County early Tuesday, trapping a woman and a baby for several hours, said Russell County Chief Deputy Rod Powell.

“The creek has washed out part of the road and she drove into it in her truck and got stuck,” Powell said. “They were trapped for several hours, until another person drove up and did the same thing. . . . He waded to shore and went for help and a deputy came up on him.”

The deputy pulled the people out of the water, no injuries were reported and no official report was taken, Powell said.

Bob Davidson, operating supervisor for Georgia Power Co. in Columbus, said 400-500 customers in the Backwaters area lost power on Monday when a tree uprooted and fell on a main power line.

Davidson said about 200 other customers have been affected by scattered power outages.

Billy Turner, president of the Columbus Water Works, said Tuesday the storm has not caused any major problems for the city’s water and sewer services.

In Harris County, the rain damaged a bridge and forced the closing of two streets, said Marian Young, the county manager.

Dennis Smith Road was closed Tuesday when one of the supports to a bridge on the road was slightly damaged, Young said.

She said repairs to the bridge should be completed by this afternoon and the road reopened.

Skinner Street was also closed Tuesday when Long Cane Creek flooded. The flooding forced three families who live on Skinner Street to evacuate their homes, Young said.

Statewide, Gov. Zell Miller declared a state of emergency Tuesday for 21 counties because of damage caused by the storm. The counties affected include Meriwether, Randolph, Talbot, Taylor and Troup.

Taylor County was the worst hit of nearby counties. Flooding washed out 10 bridges and many roads. Taylor Mill dam broke, but authorities said no one was in immediate danger.

Several other dams in middle Georgia either were breaking or being washed over, officials said.

The Leisure Lake Dam in Warner Robins broke about 4:45 p.m. Tuesday and flooded an apartment complex, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency reported. Several other apartment complexes, a subdivision and a mobile home complex downstream were evacuated after water ripped holes through the dam, officials said.

There were no reports of injuries.

In Barbour County, Ala., heavy rains on Sunday flooded several county roads and high winds uprooted trees, reported Sheriff Robert Smith. But by Tuesday, all roads had been cleared.

“We still have some flooding in the lower areas and still have heavy rain,” said Smith.

The storm system over Georgia and Alabama was related to Alberto, the first storm of the 1994 Atlantic hurricane season, which formed off western Cuba on Thursday and moved ashore over the Florida Panhandle early Sunday.

Parts of Georgia, including the Columbus area, remained under a flash flood watch Tuesday night as the rains continued.

Staff Writers Cathi Harris and Timothy Rogers contributed to this report