Deadly floods hit Tennessee and Georgia

Deadly flooding has left a trail of destruction across parts of Tennessee and northern Georgia.

(NBC)- Deadly flooding has left a trail of destruction across parts of Tennessee and northern Georgia, claiming at least four lives and forcing dozens from their homes.

In Tennessee, officials say the swift response of rescue teams prevented an even greater tragedy. Swift-water crews pulled residents from rapidly rising waters, while Interstate 24 sat under three feet of water for hours.

Among those helping was 22-year-old Troy Plemons, who was caught on video smashing the window of a submerged car to rescue a woman trapped inside.

“I was like, you got to get out. You got to get out,” Plemons recalled. Less than a minute after the woman escaped, her car sank completely underwater. “I think I was put there for a reason,” he said.

Officials blame an unprecedented overnight deluge for the disaster. “When you look at it and it’s two inches deep, and the next thing you know, it’s four feet deep, that’s something you’ve never seen before,” said Chris Adams, Hamilton County Emergency Management Director.

In northern Georgia, nearly 100 people had to be evacuated—many by boat—after homes and apartments were overtaken by floodwaters. Returning residents found widespread destruction. “Everything, it’s total loss,” said Julien Barra, standing in front of his damaged home.

Meanwhile, in Alaska’s capital, Juneau, the threat of flooding from the Mendenhall Glacier has eased. The Mendenhall River reached a record high on Wednesday but began to recede, aided by new barriers built to prevent a repeat of last year’s catastrophic damage.