Florence threatens 'epic' rainfall

Storm downgraded but flooding may put lives at risk, authorities say

WILSON, North Carolina - Storm Florence weakened on Sunday as it swept through the Carolinas but dozens of communities are devastated and "epic" amounts of rain could still fall, officials said.

The storm was downgraded to a Tropical Depression about 5 am as it trudged inland early on Sunday, knocking out power and causing at least eight deaths as floodwaters kept rising.

North Carolina officials have reported at least seven storm-related fatalities with unconfirmed reports of a further three deaths. South Carolina authorities reported one death.

"This is still a catastrophic, life-threatening storm," said Zack Taylor, a meteorologist with the National Weather Center's Weather Prediction Center.

"It has already dumped 20-to-30 inches of rain on parts of the Carolinas with more to come," he said. "And many of the rivers will see prolonged flooding, some not cresting for a few days."

Winds have dropped to about 55 kilometers per hour since it roared ashore on Friday as a hurricane and it is crawling west over two states at 9 km/h, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said early on Sunday.

"This storm is still deadly and dangerous and it's expected to turn northward later today into Virginia and the mid-Atlantic," he said.

Around 50 stranded people were airlifted by helicopter in North Carolina, said Petty Officer Michael Himes of the US Coast Guard. More than 26,000 hunkered down in shelters.

Roads were closed and authorities warned of landslides, tornadoes and flash floods, with dams and bridges in peril as rivers and creeks swelled. As of Saturday, about 676,000 homes and businesses were without power in North Carolina, along with 119,000 in South Carolina.

The White House said President Donald Trump approved making federal funding available in some affected counties.

Trump, who plans to visit the region this week, tweeted his "deepest sympathies and warmth" to the families and friends of those who had lost their lives.

Stream gauges across the region showed water levels rising steadily, with forecasts calling for rivers to crest on Sunday and Monday at or near record levels: The Little River, the Cape Fear, the Lumber, the Neuse, the Waccamaw and the Pee Dee were all projected to burst their banks, possibly flooding nearby communities.

Authorities ordered the immediate evacuation of up to 7,500 people living within 1.6 km of a stretch of the Cape Fear River and the Little River, about 160 km from the North Carolina coast. The evacuation zone included part of the city of Fayetteville, population 200,000.

"If you are refusing to leave during this mandatory evacuation, you need to do things like notify your legal next of kin because the loss of life is very, very possible," Mayor Mitch Colvin said at a news conference.

Florence has already set a North Carolina record for rainfall totals, exceeding that of Hurricane Floyd, which struck in 1999 and caused 56 deaths.

In New Bern, at the confluence of two rivers, Florence overwhelmed the town of 30,000 and left the downtown area under water.

"It was pitch black and I was just scared out of my mind," said Tracy Singleton, who with her family later fled her home.

South Carolina authorities said law enforcement officers were guarding against looting in evacuated areas, while Wilmington set a curfew on Saturday evening in response to looting in one area.

Reuters - AP

(China Daily 09/17/2018 page12)