At least 45 rescued in Georgia-Tennessee record floods

Rivers and rain: Fox Weather said about 5 to 8 inches of rain fell in roughly 12 hours, pushing the Toccoa River in Georgia and the Ocoee River in Tennessee into major flood stage above 18 feet. GPB, carrying Associated Press reporting, said a Copperhill river gauge reached a record high of about 18 feet Thursday morning — about 2 feet into the range forecasters treat as catastrophic for those twin towns. McCaysville has about 1,000 residents and Copperhill fewer than 500, GPB reported. Copperhill closed and warned people away from downtown and river areas. Polk County schools closed Thursday.

Other damage reported: Fox Weather said a propane tank outside a McCaysville business caught fire and later exploded during the flooding; police said one firefighter was injured but not seriously. Fannin County officials told Fox Weather at least six buildings caught fire overnight, which they believed lightning caused. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said a multi-agency, multi-state response was underway, with aviation and boat assets from Georgia and Tennessee agencies.

Same storm, new chapter: This is the same slow-moving system that flooded Sedona, Arizona, and Pagosa Springs, Colorado, over the Halloween weekend and crossed the Mid-South around Election Day. Thursday's border emergency sits on the southern end of that front as it shifts toward the East Coast.

East Coast next: Fox Weather and the Washington Times said the system brings 1 to 3 inches of rain along much of the I-95 corridor Thursday into Friday, with some coastal spots from Virginia to southeast New England possibly near the high end of that range. Fox Weather's Friday flash-flood outlook included a Level 2 of 4 risk for parts of Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts and Level 1 risk for parts of Long Island, eastern Connecticut and southeast Massachusetts. Much of the Northeast has gone more than two weeks without measurable rain, so the rain may ease drought even as downpours raise a local flood risk.

What the evidence shows: Some reports say about 120 million Americans are in the path of this cross-country storm. That figure, repeated by the Washington Times citing Fox Weather forecasts, describes people under a broad multi-state weather pattern — not people under Thursday's Flash Flood Emergencies. Confirmed emergencies and active National Weather Service Flood Warnings late Thursday morning were concentrated in Fannin County, Georgia, and Polk County, Tennessee.

What's still unknown: A final rescue count, full damage totals, and whether any deaths are confirmed. Figures differed by outlet through the morning as water began to recede in places. NWS Flood Warnings for the border counties were still in effect late morning Eastern time and can be extended or canceled.

Updated Nov. 5 at about 10:30 a.m. PT with Georgia-Tennessee Flash Flood Emergency details and East Coast forecast. Rescue counts differ across outlets as crews worked overnight and into the morning; this draft attributes each figure. River crest near 18 feet from GPB (Copperhill gauge) and Fox Weather (over 18 feet / major flood stage). NWS Flood Warnings for Fannin, GA, and Polk, TN, were still active late morning Eastern time. Hero and body photos are calm-weather file photos of McCaysville and the Toccoa River, not images of Thursday's flooding.