Thousands brace for more flooding
Bladenboro: Thousands of coastal residents remained on edge on Sunday after being told they may need to leave their homes because rivers were still rising more than a week after Hurricane Florence slammed into the Carolinas. About 6000 to 8000 people in Georgetown County, South Carolina, were alerted to be prepared to evacuate ahead of a “record event” of up to 10 feet of flooding expected from heavy rains dumped by Florence, county spokesperson Jackie Broach-Akers said.
She said flooding is expected to begin today near parts of the Pee Dee and Waccamaw rivers, and yesterday urged people in potential flood zones to leave their homes.
The county’s emergency management director, Sam Hodge, said in a video message posted online that authorities were closely watching river gauges and law enforcement would be going door to door in any threatened areas.
“From boots on the ground to technology that we have, we are trying to be able to get the message out,” Mr Hodge said in the video feed, advising people they should not wait for an official order to evacuate should they begin to feel unsafe.
In North Carolina, five river gauges were still at major flood stage and five others were at moderate flood stage, according to the National Weather Service. The Cape Fear River was expected to crest and remain at flood stage through the early part of the week, and parts of Interstates 95 and 40 are expected to remain underwater for another week or more.