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Road closures forced in Cobb County due to flooding, downed trees caused by heavy rains

Officials reported at least six road closures in Austell.

AUSTELL, Ga. — Saturday's rainy weather was the culprit of a few inconveniences in Cobb County.

Officials reported at least six road closures in Austell: Stovall Road, Westside Road, Garrett Road, Drooks Drive, Jones Road, and Morningside Drive. 

When 11Alive's Tresia Bowles walked down Stovall Road, she could still see the debris where that flood water used to be. Stovall Road runs parallel to Sweetwater Creek, near Legion Field. Much of it had receded by the late afternoon, though. Stovall, as well as Jones Road, remained closed for most of the day. The others were eventually opened to traffic. 

The roads were clear, with some muddy and mushy conditions around them. However, the forests surrounding these roads were flooded.

A pine tree fell down on Valerie Lake Road around 4 p.m. The tree uprooted and struck a powerline—damaging a neighbor's fence and knocking out electricity temporarily for the homes near where it fell. Neighbors tell 11Alive that they are all OK. Crews worked to try to clear the tree.

Patricia Browning shared what she heard when she noticed the tree went down.

"It was quiet. We were listening to a mo...watching a movie. He's dozing. I was doing some dishes," Browning said. "And all of a sudden, you hear a crack and a crash. And I honestly thought a limb had hit the roof, but we looked out and noticed it was the tree from across the street."

Browning said the tree was dead anyway.

"Those are very old pine trees," Browning said. "They were grown in 1988 when I moved here. And there were more. And the previous owner over there took out all the others and left those two."

Browning said she fears the tree next to it could fall.

"Take the trees down," Browning said. "And I don't like doing that. That one's getting so old, it does worry me." 

When the rain returned around 8 p.m., there was a little bit of standing water, but no other reported emergencies. 

The flood watch was extended until 1 a.m. Sunday morning.

    

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