Chantal’s Remnants Prompt Dozens to Flee Homes in North Carolina/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Heavy rain from Tropical Storm Chantal’s remnants triggered historic flooding across central North Carolina. Dozens were rescued and displaced as rivers hit record levels and highways shut down. The storm’s path threatens more flooding into the Mid-Atlantic and New England.
Quick Look
- Over 50 water rescues performed in Chapel Hill area
- Eno River crests at record 25.63 feet in Durham
- Interstates 85 and 40 closed due to flood damage
- 34,000 power outages reported statewide
- More rain forecast along Chantal’s northeast track
Chantal’s Remnants Trigger Severe Flooding, Evacuations Across North Carolina
Deep Look
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Torrential rain from the remnants of Tropical Storm Chantal unleashed widespread flooding in central North Carolina, forcing dozens of residents from their homes and prompting emergency rescues over the weekend and into Monday.
Fire crews in Chapel Hill and surrounding areas carried out more than 50 water rescues, many from apartment complexes where rising waters threatened or entered living spaces, officials said. More than 60 people were displaced across Sunday and Monday.
Floodwaters also surged into shopping centers, inundating businesses and parking lots, though no injuries were reported as of Monday morning. Officials urged caution as assessments of the damage continued.
In Orange County, concerns over a potential breach of the Lake Michael Dam led authorities to issue a voluntary evacuation for downstream neighborhoods overnight.
Elsewhere, Chatham County Sheriff Mike Roberson warned residents via social media that while floodwaters had receded in some areas, travel remained hazardous. Authorities were searching for missing individuals Monday morning, he added.
Flooding wreaked havoc on major roadways. All lanes of Interstates 85 and 40 near Durham were shut down in both directions and were expected to remain closed for 24 to 48 hours, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
Several rivers hit historic levels. The Eno River crested at 25.63 feet (7.81 meters) in Durham early Monday, eclipsing its previous record of 23.6 feet (7.19 meters). Meanwhile, the Haw River peaked at 32.5 feet (9.91 meters) in the town of Haw River — the second-highest level ever recorded there, behind only Hurricane Fran in 1996, when the river reached 32.83 feet (10.01 meters), the National Weather Service’s Raleigh office said.
More than 34,000 homes and businesses were without power Monday morning, according to poweroutage.us.
Chantal, downgraded to a tropical depression on Sunday, made landfall near Litchfield Beach, South Carolina, early Sunday, the National Hurricane Center reported.
The storm’s remnants were expected to push northeast through the Mid-Atlantic states on Monday before skimming the southern coast of New England late Monday into Tuesday. Rainfall totals of up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) have already been recorded in parts of the interior Mid-Atlantic, with forecasts calling for an additional 3 to 6 inches (8 to 15 centimeters), raising further flash flood threats along Chantal’s path.
Meanwhile, dangerous surf and rip currents were predicted to persist along beaches stretching from northeastern Florida to the Mid-Atlantic for several more days.
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