Cleanup underway after flash flooding at Clayton County apartment complex

ATLANTA — Cleanup is underway after rising flood waters overtook a local apartment complex.

Slow-moving heavy downpours that moved through the metro Saturday evening, caused flash flooding at a Clayton County apartment complex, leading emergency officials to evacuate the people living there.

Shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday, heavy rain flooded the parking lot and the first floors of several apartment buildings at The Park at Mt. Zion Apartments in Clayton County.

"When I looked out the window, it was water rushing. I mean it was rushing, like we were by a river," neighbor Regina Wiggins told Channel 2's Michael Seiden.

Her apartment was one of the many that was flooded Saturday.

"It was just chaotic. We were trying to pick up what we could and put up high, so it wouldn’t get damaged," Wiggins said.

But Wiggins told Seiden within minutes, her entire unit was consumed by water.

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"The fire department came and told us to get out. They had to walk across the lawn to get us to safety," Wiggins said.

But it wasn't just the tenants who were forced to jump into action.

"I just saw my car flooded. It was flooded to the top," said Marterius Zackery, who was visiting a friend who lives in the complex.

He told Seiden he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

Neighbors shared video with Channel 2 Action News that shows the 22-year-old rushing toward his car trying to save it, but it was too late.

“When it started lightning, I didn’t want to get shocked. It wasn’t worth it. I know insurance can cover it,” Zackery said.

The Red Cross confirmed late Saturday night that they were helping about 32 people with temporary emergency lodging and food because of the flooding.

Severe Weather Team 2's Katie Walls said the area around where the flooding happened received about 3 inches of rain today.

The heavy downpours the metro saw on Saturday will likely occur again on Sunday.

“An isolated shower cannot be ruled out on your Sunday morning, but by and large, the best chance for development will be in the afternoon,” Walls said.

Walls said there could be some patchy fog in the area Sunday morning because of the high humidity.

“It’s going to be a muggy start with temperatures in the low-to-mid-70s, and as we head into the afternoon, more showers and storms fire up,” Walls said.

The biggest impacts from the showers and storms will be heavy rainfall, frequent lightning and gusty winds in some of the bigger storms that may develop.

The storm chances will remain about 60 percent into mid-week with some drier air moving in later into next week.

Cox Media Group