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The "surprise" element of the flood is what made it so deadly. There was no official warning that a life-and-death situation could occur in the area. Patrons of the shopping center were unconcerned and ignorant of the imminent danger. One restaurant manager tried to get his patrons to leave but they refused, and ridi- culed him. When the water reached the top of the banks of Brush Creek, it quickly covered the cluster of exclusive shops and fine restaurants. A bartender found himself knee-deep in water, and then waist-deep before he had moved a few steps. Finally, patrons of the Plaza ran to save their cars. Many were in parking garages, two and three stories underground. Some could not retreat, and several drowned. Others were caught in stores as the water level rose rapidly toward ceilings. Several young people took turns jumping into the rising waters to swim inside a sub- merged bar for bottles of liquor. I 1 1 I I Confusion was everywhere. Cars were stalled in a flooded road, some above their window levels in floodwaters. Other losses included automobiles, mobile homes, Utility installations, house furnishings and valuables, business equipment and fur- niture, and landscaping along Ward Parkway which parallels Brush Creek. I Toccoa Falls, Georgia. Thirty-nine students and faculty were killed on Sunday morning, November 7, 1977 when a sudden flood slashed through the Toccoa Falls Bible College located along the banks of a shallow creek in Northeastern Georgia. The wall of water that gushed through the campus during early morning hours swept students from their basement rooms in the men's dormitory; and 32 trailer homes and houses in a married student development were washed off a floodplain down- stream of the college. The path of destruction stretched 2~ miles along the creek, mostly on the campus. The flash flood was generated by an estimated 100 million gallons of water when the Kelley Barnes Dam failed. The earth dam, located upstream of the campus was one of 84 dams in Georgia classed as "high-hazard" because of its location and destruction potential. Four days of heavy rains preceded the break which left a 60-foot wide gap in the dam. Area residents claimed the dam had been leaking and officials had been concerned about itf rafety for more than a year; but school and State officials discounted the rumors. 6 1 1 1 I 1 Other destruction included: broken water mains that left the town without safe drinking water, damaged power and communication lines, road blockages caused by debris, and bridge damages. President Carter declared the event a disaster--making available low-interest, small business loans, temporary housing and funds for house repairs. The non-profit Bible college was also eligible for federal grants. In the months that followed, repairs were made and the College students and faculty are once again busily engaged in the educational process. They remain in the same location, but the dam is gone. Many probably wonder what unexpected disaster may strike next. I 1 I Local Government's Response in Flood Cleanup 1 One cost associated with flood disasters that often goes unnoticed is the large amount of manpower, equipment and funds allocated to cleanup activities. This some- times involves only local resources including those of the local government, other local public agencies (such as park districts and water and sewer departments), utility companies, communication and transportation organizations, school districts, and others. For major floods, state highway departments, National Guard units or the U.S. Corps of Engineers may be mustered into action. In all cases, many of the local public become deeply involved in the cleanup, particularly those in flooded areas or in impacted areas downstream. The Kansas City flood of Monday night, Sep- tember 12, 1977 is a vivid example of how city forces and the National Guard were I 1 I 32 I