ALBANY, GA (WALB) -
As rain continues to fall, forecasters are warning of the potential for flash flooding in Georgia.
The National Weather Service today issued a flash food watch for most of north, central, and south Georgia. Heavy rains covered several streets in Albany with water.
We've had nearly five inches of rain in the last five days, and we should see more several inches more for the next two days, which brings concerns of flash flooding.
Water started to cover the road in the 400 block of Flint Avenue about 10:30 this morning. The sewer and storm lines were full because of a blockage.
Albany Public Works General Supervisor George Haggerty said, "The system is backed up here. But what we got to do is go downstream and break loose a lot of the debris that is in the storm lines. And it will free up all of this right now, so we will get the flow going."
Leaves and pine straw that were in the roadway are the likely problem causing the blockage. Crews spent hours in the rain, with lightning flashing in the sky, finding and unblocking drainage issues all over town, trying to stop the flash flooding problems.
Public Works Director Phil Roberson said, "We pumped all the ponds that we can pump down as low as we need to be. We are making sure all of our catch basins and drainage areas are unstopped."
Today lots of drivers not stopping when they saw roadways covered in water, and plowing on through, even when public works officials were trying to stop them. Their next danger concern is the trees, with Wednesday's forecast thunderstorms.
Roberson said, "The ground is starting to get saturated so we are a little bit concerned about high winds on Wednesday causing trees to topple over. Losing power."
Two to four inches of more rain is forecast through Wednesday, as public works crews continue to pump and unclog the drain lines, to keep the water flowing under the streets, not on top.
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