Advertisement

North Carolina floods producing variety of health risks

By Sommer Brokaw
Floodwaters from Hurricane Florence are seen in Chinquapin, N.C., Wednesday. Officials are still dealing with the storm's impact days after it disappeared. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI
Floodwaters from Hurricane Florence are seen in Chinquapin, N.C., Wednesday. Officials are still dealing with the storm's impact days after it disappeared. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo

Sept. 20 (UPI) -- Although Hurricane Florence has long since departed, the severe effects of the storm were still felt along the Carolina coast Thursday.

The storm is responsible for at least 37 deaths, including 27 in North Carolina, eight in South Carolina and two in Virginia. Sections of major interstates in the Carolinas are still closed due to major flooding.

Advertisement

The Brunswick County, N.C., government is urging evacuees to be patient returning to their homes.

"IF YOU EVACUATED: PLEASE DO NOT RETURN," the county said in a tweet. "Many roads remain impassable. Many are washed out or structurally compromised. There are limited supplies of gas, food and water in many areas and responders are focused on getting supplies to those who are in these areas."

Forecasters said floodwaters in parts of coastal South Carolina won't reach their highest levels until next week.

The Waccamaw is expected to reach perhaps 20 feet next week, nearly 10 feet past flood stage and two feet past the record set during Matthew two years ago.

More than 110,000 customers in North Carolina still did not have electricity by Thursday afternoon. That figure is less than 2,000 in South Carolina.

Advertisement

Areas are also dealing with increased public health risks from the flooding -- including raw sewage, carcasses and wild animals that could get trapped.

"People should always assume that flood water is always contaminated," Betsey Tilson of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, said. "There is potential from pesticide runoff from agriculture. There is potential human sewage from septic tanks. There is potential animal sewage as well."

Latest Headlines