USA TODAY International Edition
Blue skies, but for some the worst is yet to come
Swelling rivers flooding N. C. communities in rush to coast
“This isn’t just going to go away this weekend. There is a lot of water out there, it will take time for communities to recover.” Todd Hamill, National Weather Service hydrologist
The sun has been shining in the blue skies over North Carolina for days since Hurricane Matthew roared across the Atlantic and slammed into the southeastern coast, but for some areas, the storm’s worst is yet to come.
Matthew dumped up to 18 inches of rain in central and eastern North Carolina last week. The rain and runoff poured into the state’s rivers that are now rushing toward the coast, leaving destruction in their wake. More flooding and evacuations are on the way, Gov. Pat McCrory warned Wednesday.
“This was a huge event,” National Weather Service hydrologist Todd Hamill said of Matthew and its collateral damage. “This isn’t just going to go away this weekend. There is a lot of water out there, and it will take time for communities to recover.”
Stretches of I- 95 and I- 40 remain swamped and closed to traffic. More than 300,000 North Carolinians are without power, and 3,800 were in shelters Wednesday. Clean water is a problem for tens of thousands.
Thirty- four schools systems are closed, and “our whole court system is paralyzed,” McCrory said.
“It’s almost like a surreal environment because since Monday we have had Carolina- blue skies,” McCrory marveled. “While we are having beautiful days, people are suffering.”
Some of the worst flooding has rocked Lumberton, a city of about 20,000 people about 80 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, after the Lumber River smashed its crest record by 4 feet. Helicopters swept up residents from rooftops while rescue boats motored down flooded streets to liberate residents stranded in swamped homes.
On Wednesday, the Neuse River flooded Goldsboro, and the Tar River spilled into Princeville. Both cities had been under at least partial evacuation orders. In Greenville, 25 miles downriver from Princeville, thousands of residents were urged to evacuate ahead of the Tar River’s crest late Thursday.
“Water will overflow into the city, all the major roads will become impassable,” Hamill warned.
On Saturday, the Neuse River is forecast to set a record when it crests in Kinston.
“We want you to evacuate these low- lying areas absolutely and immediately,” Kinston Mayor BJ Murphy told WITN- TV. “The time to get out is now.”
Matthew made landfall in South Carolina early Saturday on its way up the coast after roaring through the Caribbean, where it killed hundreds in Haiti. At least 35 deaths have been reported in the U. S.
The state’s death toll from Matthew climbed to 20 on Wednesday. Emergency personnel have conducted more than 2,000 rescues, including 80 airlifts, McCrory said.
McCrory said 3,800 people remained in shelters, many without power or water. He said a priority has been getting people out of shelters and into their own homes or temporary housing.