Rising water traps group on rock as they were playing in river, Georgia officials say
A group was playing on a Georgia river when water levels rose, stranding them on a rock yards from the shore as darkness approached, officials said.
The Yellow River continued to swell, creating a “life safety concern” when first responders got to the scene around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 9, according to Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services.
Firefighters said they scoped out the river and used a rope to give the stranded group flotation devices. Then, crews helped each person travel 15 to 30 feet back to the shore.
Everyone got back to the riverbank, and no one was hurt, officials said.
The harrowing rescue was reported at Yellow River Park in Stone Mountain, roughly 20 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta.
“The victims stated they were playing in the river when the water level suddenly began to rise, trapping them on the rock,” Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services wrote in a Facebook post. “Firefighters attribute the sudden rise in water level to recent rainfall.”
The same day as the rescue, National Weather Service forecasters predicted an “increased risk for flash flooding” in the Atlanta area.
This story was originally published July 11, 2022 at 5:56 AM with the headline "Rising water traps group on rock as they were playing in river, Georgia officials say."
