North & South Carolina Flood Patrol: Still Raging after Florence
After Hurricane Florence slammed into the Carolinas more than a week ago, the National Weather Service isn’t ready to let the water cool down just yet. Rivers and streams are still cresting, and danger zones will stay flooded for days.
The Waterwork in 2025
- Wilmington’s water crisis – In a historic coastal city perched on the Cape Fear River, the fresh‑water belly wandered up to five feet above floods about 40 miles north‑north‑west of Wilmington.
- Continued rising – Bob Oravec, a NWS meteorologist, warned that rivers near the coast won’t start cresting until early next week, maybe even later. “This isn’t over,” he told reporters. “All that water is going to take a good while to recede.”
- Heavy rainfall haul – Florence dumped a mind‑blowing 30–40 inches of rain in the Wilmington region, briefly severing that once‑pristine seaside town. The cap can hardly keep its temperature up.
- State of the flood curve – While some corners of North Carolina continue to flood as late as Tuesday, other areas are finally seeing water step back.
Flashy Fish–Hose Fiasco
Picture a highway in Wallace turned into a fish buffet. A hundred dead fish were stranded on Interstate 40, about 35 miles from the nearest beach. Firefighters had to hose ”fish off the asphalt’’—a bizarre, but absolutely unforgettable, pageant that made the Penderlea Fire Department chuckle on Facebook: “Well, we can add washing fish off of the interstate to the long list of interesting things firefighters get to experience!”
Wilmington’s Pond
- One foot of water draped streets near the river on Sunday—snap‑captured by local media.
- Yet the city’s offices were reopening Monday after a week of shutdown.
Nationwide Ripple Effect
Florence’s scare didn’t just stay in the Carolinas. The remnants made a grand tour northward, splashing around the Ohio Valley and prompting flood watches from Texas all the way up to Maryland, buzzing through Monday at least.
Mortality & Relief Numbers
- At least 40 people died during Florence—most casualties were in North Carolina.
- Over 5,000 individuals got rescued by boat or helicopter—a double‑the‑Hurricane‑Matthew count from two years ago.
- Thousands still live in shelters with 550 roads closed by the state transportation department as of Saturday. The battered 17 southeastern counties remain off‑limits.
Environmental Concerns
- Duke Energy’s Test – Following worries about contamination from the cooling lake at a power plant in Wilmington, Duke Energy announced the tests showed “little to no impact to water quality.” They claimed all results met the state’s rigorous standards.
- Coal Ash Stability – The company emphasized that the coal ash basin—a toxic reservoir of burned coal residues—remains safe and stable.
- Hog Lagoon Overflows – Florence caused 21 pig‑farm manure lagoons in North Carolina to overflow, risking contamination of standing water and a threat to the region’s hog‑producing reputation.
- Sewer Spill‑cards – Several clogged sewer systems let untreated or partially treated sewage and stormwater pour into waterways during the last week.
With the floodwaters still swelling near many river mouths and the waters just beginning to wane, the story of Hurricane Florence is as watery and draining as ever. Stay tuned for more updates—this storm is telling us, “I’m just getting started.”