Officials assess flood damage in Catoosa County

Published 11:23 am Wednesday, September 23, 2009

(This story was published Tuesday)



U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal visited Catoosa County Tuesday afternoon to get a bird’s-eye view of flood damage in the area.

Catoosa County commissioner Ken Marks and county manager Mike Helton also took to the air to inspect the damage.

Deal said he saw “significant damage and flooding” and expects a “great amount of property loss and property damage.”

“We’ve got water I’ve never seen before,” Marks said.

He said the subdivisions and areas worst hit are Mitchell Acres, Fort Town Estates and Battlewood Apartments, as well as areas off Scruggs Road and Karen Drive.

“Our three main fairways are basically closed,” Marks said. “It’s definitely a disaster.”

Marks said rush-hour traffic after work today will be terrible with only one north-to-south route through Fort Oglethorpe.

Deal and Gov. Sonny Perdue have requested for federal assistance and for a declaration of emergency.

Deal said many residents in both Walker and Catoosa counties do not have flood insurance.

“If the White House will grant the emergency declarations, then hopefully we will get some help from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency),” he said. “There are going to be people who are going to have to face some hard consequences.”

They are waiting on the federal government to respond to their request, Deal said.

Other problems, he said, could come with strong winds that blow down trees onto power lines, causing power outages.

He said traffic patterns will be disrupted because of a policy of the Department of Transportation to inspect each bridge if water rises high enough to touch the structure.

Marks asked citizens to stay off the roads and to heed road closures and barricades. He also asked for the residents’ patience as the county deals with damages.

He thanked the American Red Cross of Chattanooga for their assistance in giving shelter to evacuees.