N.C. flooding toll at 4 people; 4 missing

Four people were killed and four were still missing after flash floods wiped out homes in western North Carolina in the wake of Tropical Depression Fred last week, authorities said.

The search for victims of the flash flooding continued in Haywood County, according to an update posted on the county’s Facebook page. The remnants of the tropical depression brought more than 10 inches of rain to the county Tuesday.

All four of the people who died were from Cruso, where homes were swept off their foundations after the Pigeon River overflowed, officials said. The floodwaters washed away bridges and blocked roads with piles of debris.

Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina toured the area Thursday and issued a state of emergency.

“You hope you can find everybody,” he said at a news conference. “After a flash flood, it is chaotic.”

Cooper said the North Carolina Air National Guard was helping search for victims.

County officials estimated that the flood caused at least $300 million worth of damage and destroyed 225 structures in Cruso and noted that the estimate did not include damage in the towns of Canton and Clyde.

“When you’re flooded, you really almost have to start all over again,” Cooper said.

Residents seeking to access areas where the search was ongoing would be required to show identification, authorities said.

Emergency responders had initially said at least 30 people remained unaccounted for in Haywood County. It was not immediately clear Sunday how many remained missing.