WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — Catastrophic flooding from Florence spread across the Carolinas on Sunday, with roads to Wilmington cut off by the epic deluge and muddy river water swamping entire neighborhoods miles inland. “The risk to life is rising with the angry waters,” Gov. Roy Cooper declared as the storm’s death toll climbed to 17.
The storm continued to crawl westward, dumping more than 30 inches (75 centimeters) of rain in spots since Friday, and fears of historic flooding grew. Tens of thousands were ordered evacuated from communities along the state’s steadily rising rivers — with the Cape Fear, Little River, Lumber, Waccamaw and Pee Dee rivers all projected to burst their banks.
In Wilmington , with roads leading in and out of the city underwater and streams still swelling upward, residents waited for hours outside stores and restaurants for basic necessities like water. Police guarded the door of one store, and only 10 people were allowed inside at a time.
Woody White, chairman of the board of commissioners of New Hanover County, said officials were planning for food and water to be flown into the coastal city of nearly 120,000 people.
“Our roads are flooded,” he said. “There is no access to Wilmington.”
Preliminary rainfall totals from NOAA collection locations as measured from Thursday through 5 p.m. Sunday:
North Carolina
Swansboro: 33.89
Hoffman Forest: 29.48
Sunny Point: 27.44
Newport/Morehead City: 25.20
Emerald Isle: 23.66
Cedar Point: 21.73
Croatan: 21.70
Bolivia: 21.59
Lumberton: 21.51
South Carolina
Marion: 18.13
Carolina Sand Hills: 16.44
Chesterfield: 16.06
Jefferson: 15.68
Loris: 12.18
Conway: 10.10
Pawley’s Island: 10.08
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