‘I lost everything.’ McCaysville residents still grappling with historic flood damage

The clean is just getting underway in McCaysville, where catastrophic flooding swallowed homes and businesses.

“This was used for a landfill, temporary, so they could get the streets cleaned up,” said Michael Early Sr. Monday as the City of McCaysville works to clean up. At businesses, workers are clearing their stores out and it’s the same story for residents.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

“I’m terrible. I mean, thank the Lord I’m alive, but I lost everything,” said resident Bill Paschal.

He said he was pulled from the waters by rescue crews with his cats on his shoulders. And now the reality has hit of how much he’s lost.

“Every little piece you see out here has got a story. I lost my wife in this house three years ago,” said Paschal of the debris sitting in front of his rental home. “I’m trying to get ahold of Nationwide. I’ve got rental insurance, but they keep asking me for my billing number and this number, my that. I don’t have anything. I mean, if it wasn’t in my wallet, it’s non-existent.”

He’s not sure if he will be able to move back in. Mayor Terry Arp says there are dozens of others like him.

“I would say on our side probably around 50, maybe 40, 50,” said Mayor Arp about the number of homes impacted.

Even for those who didn’t lose their homes, the water’s been restored, but they’re still picking up clean water.

“We are required to send in several tests. We’re already starting that process and hopefully, you know, within by Monday we can get that going,” said Arp.

Riverside Church is gutted, days after water from the nearby Toccoa River came rushing through its doors. Monday they cleaned out the pews, the hymnals and other items from inside the church.

“Right now, looking at the devastation, I mean, it could take six months to a year, but we will rebuild the church is going to go on,” said Pastor Gary Queen.

TRENDING STORIES:

STORY 1

STORY 2

STORY 3

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]