Rescues in Florence continue as floodwaters cut off Wilmington, North Carolina



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WILMINGTON, N.C. –

On Tuesday, in Wilmington, hundreds of people waited for water and other essentials, still cut off by high water after Hurricane Florence sparked floods, and the governor of Carolina North has asked more than 10,000 evacuees not to return home.

The number of deaths reached at least 35 in three states, with 27 deaths in North Carolina, while the remains of Florence went in two directions: the water was heading towards the Carolina coast and thunderstorms poured into the New Hampshire and New York State.

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The governor of North Carolina, Roy Cooper, warned that the floods caused by 3 feet of rain from Florence are far from over and will worsen in places.

"I know for a lot of people it sounds like a nightmare that just will not end," he said.

Addressing about 10,000 people who remain in shelters and "countless others" staying elsewhere, Cooper urged residents to stay for the time being, especially those in the most affected coastal counties. , including Wilmington, near Florence.

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Roads remain dangerous, he said, and some are still closed for the first time as rivers driven by torrential rains inland flow to the Atlantic.

"I know it was hard to leave home, and it's even harder to wait and wonder if you even have a house to go back to," Cooper said.

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In Wilmington, a population of 120,000, workers began to distribute supplies using a system that looked like a fast-food giant: drivers parked on a row of pallets, placed an order and left without have to go out. A woman whistled every time the pilots were supposed to advance.

Todd Tremain needed tarpaulins to hide the places where the winds from Florence ripped shingles from his roof. "The roof is leaking, spoiling the inside of the house," he said.

Others received a case of bottled water or military ERM or field rations. An olive gray forklift was moving around huge pallets loaded with supplies.

Brandon Echavarrieta struggled to stay composed by describing life after Florence: no power for days, rotten meat in the freezer, no water or food and just one bath a week.

"It was pretty bad," said Echavarrieta, 34, his voice broken.

Nearby, about 200 people lined up to buy 40-pound ice packs as fast as a Rose Ice and Coal Co. could produce.

Trucks and military helicopters carried supplies into the city, which were also used to tear hundreds of desperate people to the top of fireplaces and other structures.

Hurricane Florence in photos

Mayor Bill Saffo said two roads were now open on Wilmington, completely cut off by the waters, but these roads could close as water swells the Cape Fear River on the west side of the city.

"We always encourage or ask people not to go home," said Woody White, president of the New Hanover County Commissioners. "We want you here, we love you, we miss you, but access to Wilmington is still very limited and does not improve as quickly as we would like."

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In Fayetteville, approximately 161 kilometers inland, near Fort Bragg, the Cape Fear River was approximately 50 feet (15 meters) to a ridge estimated at more than 25 feet above the level of the flood. On Tuesday, logs and other debris found themselves trapped under a railway bridge as brown waters pressed against the span.

The river swallowed trees, lampposts and parking near its banks. City officials warned that rising water was threatening some neighborhoods and businesses that seemed safe, but said the worst was almost over and life was starting to return to the city center. Businesses reopened and homeowners removed sandbags and plywood from storefronts.

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Human and animal waste mix with the swirling waters that killed about 1.7 million chickens in poultry farms.

More than 5 million gallons of partially treated sewage dumped into the Cape Fear River after a power outage at a treatment plant, officials said, and the earthen dam a pond containing pork waste has spread. A dozen other pits, containing animal feces and urine, were damaged.

The governor said 16 rivers were in flood and more than 1,100 roads had been closed. Rescuers said they saved and evacuated more than 2,200 people and about 575 animals, he said.

On a bright spot, the Lumber River seemed to fall in Lumberton, about 70 miles (113 kilometers) inland. Electricity blackouts in the southeast also declined, rising from a peak of over 910,000 to about 310,000, almost all of them in North Carolina.

The White House said President Donald Trump will visit North Carolina on Wednesday to see the damage. Earlier, he boasted on Twitter: "Right now, everyone says we are doing a great job with Hurricane Florence – and they are 100% correct." He warned that Democrats will soon begin to criticize the government's response, and "it will be a total lie, but that's what they do, and everyone knows it!"

Among the dead are a one – year – old boy who was swept away by his mother in floodwaters and lost control over him. Authorities in Virginia said that a man was killed Tuesday when his pickup truck was caught in a flash flood.

After suffering a tropical depression, the deadly storm continued to absorb heavy rains and winds of more than 40 km / h. Forecasters have said that the northeastern states should receive up to 10 centimeters of rain before the system goes back offshore.

WLS-TV contributed to this report

(Copyright © 2018 by Associated Press Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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