‘Relentless’ Hurricane Florence slams into NC
SWAN QUARTER, N.C. – Slow-moving Hurricane Florence made landfall Friday in North Carolina, bringing punishing winds, heavy rain and record flooding that drove some residents to seek shelter in attics or upper floors of homes.
In the first report of storm-related fatalities, a mother and infant died after a tree fell on a house in Wilmington, North Carolina, according to police. The father was hospitalized with injuries.
In addition, a woman in Hampstead, North Carolina, suffered a heart attack Friday morning, but emergency crews could not reach her before she died because of downed trees in the road, ABC News reports.
As the storm moves inland, forecasters warned, the storm surge could cover all but a sliver of the Carolina coast under as much as 11 feet of ocean water, and days of downpours could unload more than 3 feet of rain, touching off severe flooding.
Meteorologist Ryan Maue of weathermodels.com calculates that Hurricane Florence is forecast to dump 9.6 trillion gallons, enough rain to cover the Tar Heel state in about 10 inches of water. The National Weather Service says 14 to 15 inches of rain already had fallen north of Swansboro, North Carolina.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said the hurricane was “wreaking havoc” on the coast and could wipe out entire communities as it makes its “violent grind across our state for days.” He called the rain an event that comes along only once every 1,000 years.
“Hurricane Florence is powerful, slow and relentless,” he said. “It’s an uninvited brute who doesn’t want to leave.”
In New Bern, North Carolina, where the Neuse and Trent rivers intersect, around 200 people were rescued after being stranded in their homes overnight, according to Mayor Dana Outlaw. An additional 150, including some trapped in second floors of houses or in attics, awaited rescue.
“What happens is that we rescue some people and then we find out there are still more who need it,” Out-
Doug Stanglin, Daniel J. Gross and Sean Rossman
law said.
The mayor said at least 4,200 homes and 300 businesses sustained damage from flooding.
“Things here are very, very serious,” he said. “If you’ve ever doubted the destructiveness of a hurricane, what’s happening here will make you a believer.”
More than 60 people, including an infant, children and their pets, were rescued from a collapsing hotel in Jacksonville, North Carolina, according to WITN-TV. Cinder blocks that were part of the structure crumbled, and portions of the roof were missing.
About 9,700 National Guard troops and civilians have been deployed, with high-water vehicles, helicopters and boats.
National Weather Service forecasters said the storm would roam along the coast for at least two more days before reaching Columbia, South Carolina, early Sunday. It was also expected to slip briefly back into the open water.
Contributing: Associated Press