(Helen)- While Cleveland and other areas of White County remained dry Helen and the northern part of the county was slammed with heavy rain and strong thunderstorms Thursday afternoon.  That strong thunderstorm started impacting the area around mid-afternoon.    The system of thunderstorms moved east during the next couple of hours.

At one point White County E-9-1-1 reported some area streets and sidewalks were flooded.

During the storms, a Habersham County fire unit was dispatched to a tree on fire on Highway 356 at Unicoi Springs because  Helen and White County emergency personnel were busy handling incidents in Helen.

 

White County Public Safety agencies responded to multiple weather-related incidents following the severe thunderstorm warning in White County Thursday.  White County Public Safety Spokesman said, “The storm cells that passed through the northern parts of White County resulted in multiple reports of flooding. The majority of these incidents occurred within the city of Helen.”

White County Firefighters battle residential fire at Skylake -Photo WC Public Safety

According to Barrett, shortly before 4:00 pm, White County Fire Services responded to a residential fire in Sautee Nacoochee’s Skylake community. Helen Fire Department also responded by acting in mutual aid. Within minutes, White County Station 3 personnel was on scene of a fully involved, A-frame structure fire.

Barrett said fire personnel, who received confirmation that the structure was no longer occupied, begin combating the blaze and prevented it from spreading to nearby vegetation.

Fire personnel from Lee Arrendale Correctional Facility also responded supporting local Fire Services by providing manpower. White County’s Citizen Emergency Response Team responded with their Rehab truck to aid the first responders in combatting the fire. The residence was deemed a total loss and the cause of the fire is a reported lightning strike.

Local News Radio Weather Reporter Bill Kinsland advised at the Sautee Weather Station, which is located just south of Helen, he received 1.45 inches of rain from 3 – 5 PM.

Bill reported that Helen recorded 3.72 inches of rain from 1:45 until 5 PM, with a  24-hour rainfall amount 4.32 inches. According to Bill the Chattahoochee River level at Helen at 5 PM was 2.05 feet, the normal level is one foot, flood stage is 6 feet.

Views: 2,244