Travel still dangerous in flooded areas of US

Travel remained dangerous on Saturday in southeastern North Carolina, where the governor warned of “treacherous” floodwaters more than a week after Hurricane Florence made landfall, and urged residents to stay alert for flood warnings and evacuation orders.

Governor Roy Cooper said nine of the state’s river gauges were at major flood stage and four others were at moderate stage, while parts of Interstates 95 and 40 would remain underwater for another week or more.

Emergency management officials said residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed will begin moving into hotel rooms next week.

“Hurricane Florence has deeply wounded our state, wounds that will not fade soon as the flood waters finally recede,” Cooper said.

More evacuations

South Carolina also has ordered more evacuations as rivers continue to rise in the aftermath of a storm that has claimed at least 43 lives since slamming into the coast more than a week ago.

The small farming community of Nichols, South Carolina, about 65 kilometres from the coast, was completely inundated by water, Mayor Lawson Batter said on Saturday.

He called the situation “worse than Matthew,” the 2016 hurricane that destroyed almost 90 per cent of the town’s 261 homes. Battle said flooding from Florence has wiped out the 150 or so homes rebuilt afterward.

“It’s just a mess,” said Battle, who was awaiting a visit from Governor Henry McMaster. “We will try everything we can to come back ... but we need to have federal and state help.”

In Wilmington, where Hurricane Florence made landfall and which had been cut off by floodwaters, officials said they’d identified three safe routes into town. North Carolina Emergency Management Director Michael Sprayberry said eastern counties continue to see major flooding.