Some call it The 100-Year Flood; some call it The 500-Year Flood. Whatever it’s called, it will be remembered for generations to come as a truly historic - yet tragic - event in west Georgia.

Starting late Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009, and continuing into Monday, heavy rain. lightning and thunder rolled into Douglas County and the neighboring counties of Carroll, Paulding and Cobb. Before it was over, some say up to 20 inches of rain had fallen. The result was massive flooding that claimed nine lives in Georgia, seven of them in Douglas County. Over 100 roads were closed due to washouts, and the total is still being tallied on the homes that were destroyed or damaged. The estimated damage to roads alone is $11 million in Douglas County.

To chronicle these events and to preserve the images of such total and awesome destruction wrought by nature, The Newspapers of West Georgia has produced a special flood edition with photos and information submitted by readers in Douglas, Carroll and Paulding counties.

Subscribers will receive a copy in their Sunday paper. Extra copies will be available at the Douglas County Sentinel office at 8501 Bowden Street in Douglasville for $2 each.