ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – On Friday, hundreds of people in northwest Atlanta woke up to flooded front yards and cars completely submerged in water.

“I think it’s just a place of gratitude that everyone here is safe. And although it’s very impactful, it could have been much worse. And that family is the most important thing. Everything is replaceable,” said Walt Deriso, who’s entire yard was flooded.

Deriso and his family decided not to evacuate as the tropical storm winds and rain of Helene approached Atlanta.

Some of Deriso’s neighbors had to be rescued by boat from the rising flood waters.

Atlanta Fire & Rescue told Atlanta News First they rescued more than 25 people, most in Buckhead and northwest Atlanta.

Fire crews did not report any serious injuries from those in flood zones in northwest Atlanta.

Along Defoors Ferry Road, a Watershed Management officials said the high water pressure from the overflowing waters of Peachtree Creek caused a sewage line to break, leading to countless gallons of raw sewage to spill into the surrounding neighborhood.

As part of the floods, a MARTA bus was stranded along Defoors Ferry Road for much of the day.

A good Samaritan helped take at least three riders to safety while the driver waited on a tow truck.

The Galloway School Baseball/Softball field was completely submerged in water. By Friday evening, the waters started to recede.

On Friday, Mayor Andre Dickens declared a state of emergency in response to the storms brought by Hurricane Helene.

I am declaring a State of Emergency for the City of Atlanta, effective immediately. This declaration will allow us to access vital federal and state resources to expedite our recovery efforts and ensure the safety and well-being of all Atlanta residents,” said Mayor Dickens, in a statement.

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This week, the New Orleans Saints head into enemy territory as they face the Atlanta Falcons in Week 4 of the 2024 regular season. Tre’Shon Diaz of The Falcoholic joins us to preview Sunday’s showdown between one of the league’s most heated division rivalries.

NJ: In your opinion, how has QB Kirk Cousins looked in his return from season-ending Achilles surgery? Does he seem capable of leading Atlanta to the promised land? If not, how soon should first-round NFL Draft pick Michael Penix Jr. take over as the team’s starting QB?

TD: I expected Cousins to have a slower start after coming off the significant injury, and that’s what we’ve seen. Each week, he’s knocked a layer of rust off, and most of it has appeared to be mental, not physical. People attributed his Week 1 shakiness to health, but the real issue was TJ Watt being in his lap the entire game.

At this point, he has taken care of it. Cousins has enough left in the tank to get this roster to the playoffs, so I won’t anticipate seeing Penix until 2025 or 2026.

NJ: With Atlanta set to be missing two starters on the offensive line—RT Kaleb McGary (sprained MCL, day-to-day) and C Drew Dalman (high ankle sprain, IR)—are you concerned about the Falcons’ ability to contain the Saints’ revitalized pass rush? New Orleans is currently tied for fourth in the league with 11 team sacks.

TD: There’s still a chance McGary plays this Sunday, but regardless of health, I would still be concerned. The defense has had an abundance of opportunities to rush the passer due to the position their opponents have been in, and they’ve been capitalizing on them. Ryan Neuzil filled in for Dalmn last year and did well until running into the Saints. Storm Norton also filled in for Kaleb McGary in 2023 and clamped rookie sensation Will Anderson, but he was up and down in his other outings.

Last week, the line adjusted well by the fourth quarter, and I think with a week of preparation, they’ll be able to devise a game-plan to protect Cousins.

NJ: Atlanta is 6 of 27 on third down conversions to open the season. What do you believe is the cause of this—coaching or execution? Do you think things will change against New Orleans?

TD: It’s a combination of both. There have been drops and other execution errors for plays that had potential. New offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has also put the team in bad positions. With only a three-game sample size, I’m not panicking yet, but there is a healthy level of concern.

Things have to change against the Saints, and Robinson has shown the ability to adjust and has improved week to week as a play-caller. However, there will still be growing pains with the rookie coordinator.

NJ: It’s clear that many fans are still upset about New Orleans failing to land All-Pro safety Justin Simmons, especially after Philadelphia Eagles TE Dallas Goedert recorded 170 receiving yards on 10 receptions against the Saints on Sunday. With that being said, has the superstar tandem of Simmons and Jessie Bates III been as lethal as advertised for the Falcons secondary?

TD: Per PFF, in 101 coverage snaps this season, Simmons has 16 yards allowed, one interception, and one forced incompletion while allowing a 6.3 passer rating when targeted. Jessie Bates was the NFC Player of the Week after his performance against the Philadelphia Eagles, which included a game-winning interception.

The duo has been everything the team has hoped for. They’ve allowed defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake and head coach Raheem Morris to bring over their zone-heavy scheme from Los Angeles. The duo has also helped cover up a subpar pass rush through coverage sacks.

NJ: According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Falcons (-120) are currently 1.5-point favorites over the Saints (+102) in Sunday’s matchup; who do you think will come out on top, and what is your final score prediction?

TD: Derek Carr will have a long day trying to push the ball down the field with Justin Simmons and Jessie Bates looming in the secondary; we may even see another pick-six. I think Bijan Robinson will continue his dominance in this series, and Atlanta will win 21-17.

Thank you again to Tre’Shon Diaz for joining us this week! You can check out the rest of his work here.

Make sure you follow Canal Street Chronicles on Twitter at @SaintsCSC, “Like” us on Facebook at Canal Street Chronicles, and make sure you’re subscribed to our YouTube channel

A boat rescue is underway for residents of a flooded Atlanta apartment complex.

The Peachtree Park Apartments on Peachtree Park Drive are feeling the impacts of Hurricane Helene as it comes through Georgia.

Heavy rain ahead of Helene’s full arrival in the metro area led to the apartment complex seeing lots of water, leading to the need for an evacuation.

A Channel 2 Action News photographer was at the scene, where first responders were using boats to help residents leave the apartment complex.

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Details on the exact number of people impacted were not immediately available.

Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm on Thursday evening and early Friday was downgraded to a Category 1 storm.

However, rain is still coming in and wind speeds are still reported at about 90 miles per hour, meaning the storm will still likely impact the area as it moves through.

Channel 2 Action News is working to get more details about the rescue underway.

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