While Potential Tropical Cyclone 8 passed off the Carolinas coast on Tuesday, cleanup efforts have only just begun.
Some people cannot leave their neighborhood and draining water from their homes is a lengthy and difficult process.
Governor Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency for Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus and New Hanover counties on Tuesday evening after these areas were hit by flooding of unprecedented proportions over the past three days.
“This emergency declaration will help counties affected by heavy rains and flooding recover from this storm,” Cooper said. “I urge North Carolinians across the state to remain cautious as many roads are still dangerous.”
Monday was a WRAL weather alert day as Potential Tropical Cyclone 8 brought heavy rain, strong winds and the threat of tornadoes, flooding and power outages to North Carolina. Southeastern North Carolina was hardest hit, particularly the coastal communities that make up much of the area.
The greatest impacts of PTC 8 were felt in the second half of Monday – especially along the coast. Carolina Beach received more than 20 inches of rain since Sunday night, causing life-threatening flooding. It is being described as an extremely rare 1,000-year flood.
Flood warnings and flash flood alerts were issued for several counties Monday through Tuesday morning. These have now been lifted and the water is receding, but you should still be aware of flooded roads and standing water.
Tropical storm warnings were in effect along the North Carolina coast on Monday, and there were also several tornado warnings.
A final recording on Tuesday afternoon showed that Carolina Beach had received 20.81 inches of rain since Sunday. Elsewhere in Brunswick County, Southport (19.13 inches) and St. James (18.65 inches) were also hard hit. Standing water was visible along some major roads, including Lake Park Boulevard.
Coastal storm floods Brunswick County, cutting off major roads and communities
For some, it is impossible to leave their neighborhood, and draining water from their homes is a slow and difficult process.
Mother Nature has wreaked havoc on coastal roads, including the old Ocean Highway in Brunswick County.
The destruction lasted only 24 hours, but the repair work will take much longer.
“You couldn’t pass that road, the water was rushing over it like rapids,” said Brunswick County resident Angela Holbrooks.
The floodwaters blocked access to the road near Angela Holbrooks’ home, and a truck even crashed into a gap.
“There’s really nothing you can do until the water goes back,” Holbrooks said.
The flooding forced commuters to seek alternative routes. Major highways were closed and flooded streets in residential areas left residents stranded for hours.
“We need better roads, evacuation plans and better infrastructure to serve the citizens here so that we don’t end up without food or electricity again,” said one resident.
Fallen trees leave thousands without power in North Carolina
Winds reached speeds of up to 30 miles per hour on Monday afternoon, drenching the ground and knocking down trees. Power outages for thousands occurred Tuesday morning in eastern North Carolina.
Just before 2 a.m. Tuesday, WRAL News received reports of a fallen tree on Whitman Road in Raleigh.
WRAL News received several reports of downed trees throughout the Triangle Tuesday morning.
Wade Avenue between Dixie Trail and Faircloth Street in Raleigh was closed after a tree downed power lines — a power pole snapped in half and many residents were without power. Duke Energy said power should be restored by 4 p.m.
Floods and washouts make roads impassable
At approximately 4:20 a.m., the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NC DOT) reported that a portion of Interstate 95 North at Exit 77 (Hodges Chapel Road) was closed. The NC DOT deemed the road impassable, but reopened it at approximately 7:20 a.m.
At 6 a.m., the NC DOT reported an accident at this location on I-95 North at Exit 77.
NC 12 on Ocracoke Island will not reopen Tuesday. Crews will reassess the situation after high tide Wednesday morning.
“We’re bringing teams together from our other five counties to bring them together in Brunswick County,” said Battle Whitley of the NC DOT. “We’re assessing the situation as we go. We’re trying to get to the locations and block them off so people aren’t driving through flood water and things like that.”
The North Carolina Department of Transportation has reported five accidents on Interstate 40 so far Tuesday morning. Three accidents occurred within less than 30 minutes on a 9-mile stretch of the interstate in Durham County.
In Fayetteville, Ramsey Street near Drake Street will remain closed Tuesday morning due to flooding. This street is known to flood during and after storms. Motorists can use Hillsboro Street as a detour.
Please remember that it is dangerous to drive through flooded roads. Please take an alternative route instead.
For traffic reports, tune in to WRAL News+ or 101.5FM in the Triangle.
Severe flooding from this storm left several people stranded on US Highway 17 in Brunswick County on Monday afternoon.
Due to severe flooding, Brunswick County imposed a curfew on unincorporated areas until 7 a.m. Tuesday.
Even after the curfew is lifted, the risk of flooding remains and further rain is forecast for Tuesday, so exercise caution when driving in the area.
Southport also experienced road washouts on Monday, with major roads impassable due to the effects of the storm.
Many people were seen along the coast assisting business owners and residents with the cleanup efforts.
“It was really heavy, you couldn’t see anything,” said Breck Price of the Starlite Inn in Carolina Beach. There were no guests at the hotel on Monday evening. A nearby sushi bar in town was badly flooded.
In a Facebook post, Southport Police wrote:
“Please stay off the road if possible – major road washouts – this is River Road between Tiger Mart and 50 Lakes Drive – hazardous conditions – impassable conditions on River Road.”
Several shops closed
Several businesses along the coast said they were closed because of the flood. Although the flood largely receded on Tuesday, many businesses were unable to open their doors on Tuesday.
The closed businesses are as follows:
- Chopping and grinding
- Kate’s Pancake House
- Hang Ten Grill
- The Veggie Cart
School closures on Tuesday
Due to bad weather, classes in several schools ended early on Monday.
The school closures on Tuesday are as follows:
- Ascend Leadership Academy
- Central Carolina CC
- Schools in Duplin County
- Schools in Harnett County
- Schools in Hoke County
- Schools in Lee County
- Little Beginningz Learning
- Little Dolphins/Clinton
- New Breed Christian CCC
- Christian Luther School
- Northampton Co Schools
- Northwood Temple Academy
- S Wake Preschool & Academy
- Sampson Community College
- STARS Charter School
- Stedman BC Day Care
- The Ark Daycare in Clinton
- Tom Thumb Academy in Salemburg
- Trinity Child Care in Fayetteville
- Trinity Christian School
- Wayne County Schools
Click here to see when these schools start on Tuesday.
Helpful links: Sign up for WRAL weather alerts | Live DUALDoppler5000 | Wind speeds and gusts | Live cams across North Carolina | WRAL interactive hurricane tracker
Tree falls on house in Fayetteville
A huge tree fell on the home of a Fayetteville resident on Monday.
This happened on Broadfoot Avenue in the Haymount area. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
“Part of the roof is gone and it completely fell onto the porch,” said homeowner Sharon Moyer.
Floods pose the greatest danger, rescue services are on standby
Flooding is often the most dangerous part of a storm.
“Water is one of the most powerful forces on earth. Even a small amount of rain or flood water on a road can have devastating consequences,” said Darshan Patel, Wake County Emergency Management operations manager.
Patel said the ground was already soaked by this week’s rains and flooding could easily occur in low-lying areas.
“We work closely with our partners to assess potential public safety concerns. If risks are identified, we are prepared to take proactive measures,” he said.
Emergency services are also monitoring road conditions and power lines.
“Mother Nature is a constant challenge,” said Duke Energy spokesman Jeff Brooks. “Wet ground makes it even more difficult to prevent outages caused by falling trees, but we are doing everything we can to minimize disruption.”
Duke Energy is keeping its current teams on standby and ready to deploy to critical areas if needed. Although summer is coming to an end, the peak of the tropical storm season is just beginning.
“This system has developed quickly offshore and will bring severe weather over the next few days,” Brooks said. “We could see more storms like this soon.”
To receive up-to-date information on local safety, residents should use ReadyWake, a mobile resource that provides notifications about potential threats in their area.
Road closure information is also available on DriveNC. A “Potential Tropical Cyclone” tab has been added to the company’s website. Users can toggle the tab on and off to see the specific impacts of that storm on the roads.
Governor Cooper urges caution
Governor Roy Cooper posted on X urging residents to stay safe.
“Southeastern North Carolina is experiencing significant flooding as heavy rain continues,” he said. “We are in contact with local authorities and @NCEmergency is assisting coastal communities with their response to the severe weather.
“Stay safe and follow the instructions of local emergency officials.”
