HIAWASSEE, Ga – Citizens of Towns County are in the middle of a lengthy power restoration and cleanup process following tropical storm Zeta.

As of 5 p.m., the Blue Ridge Mountain EMC (BRMEMC), it reporting 1,583 power outages in Towns County alone. BRMEMC stated online that 21,000 customers were out of power across north Georgia and western North Carolina. By midday on Thursday, October 29, they had reduced the number to 17,000. They stressed that restoring power will be a multi-day effort and to please keep a safe distance from working crews.

The majority of outages were caused by downed trees and power lines as well as heavy rain from tropical storm Zeta.

The Hiwassee River crested well over its banks leaving some barns, fields, and cars underwater. At 9:15 a.m., the river had reached moderate flooding level at 11.9 feet. Flood level is 9 feet.

Images courtesy of Amanda Dockery.