NO JOKE
For the last week of rain rain rain, I've been bemoaning the embarrassment of not being able to mow my already overgrown lawn. Of course that minor inconvenience was just the tip of an iceberg. Highest elevation of any state capital east of the Mississippi and we've got kerrAzy flooding going on right now. Highways blocked and stranded motorists. Houses up to their gutters in floodwater. Drownings. Entire school districts cancelling classes. Urban and suburban insanity...
People gotta remember to take this stuff seriously. "Turn around! Don't Drown." Seriously, do not drive through a flooded area. More people drown in their CARS during a flood than anywhere else. And do not walk through rushing water. Just a foot of rushing water can knock grown men off their feet (and down into deeper water).
North Georgia doesn't have the same flood worries as places Texas, but everybody everywhere has to consider the possibilities even if they're not in a traditional flood plain. If there's too much rain for your environment/infrastructure to handle, it CAN flood. Are you certain that you know the factors in your area? What is your elevation relative to local watersheds? There are some very surprised residents in Atlanta who've lost EVERYTHING. Most homeowner's insurance policies do NOT offer protection against flood losses. For information about flood insurance, call your local insurance agent, or call the National Flood Insurance Program (http://www.fema.gov/business/nfip) at 800-638-6620.
Seriously.