Multiple people left trapped after NC county gets 8.9 inches of rain, officials say
A State of Emergency has been declared in Surry County, North Carolina, after nearly 9 inches of rain left people trapped in cars and homes.
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It happened Saturday night into Sunday morning, forcing first responders to make dangerous rescues in the dark. No fatalities had been reported as of Monday morning.
As many as 10 rescue operations were reported by Pilot Mountain, Mount Airy and Dobson rescue squads, most involving people trapped in vehicles, officials said.
“Last night will be remembered as one of the most challenging nights in our community’s history,” Mount Airy Rescue Chief Corey B. Scearce wrote in a Sunday Facebook post.
“While most of our community was sleeping, our members spent the entire night responding to emergencies, conducting at least seven water rescues and one low-angle rescue. We rescued motorists trapped in floodwaters hidden by darkness and heavy rain, and we rescued residents from their homes as rising water caught them by surprise. The devastation we witnessed is difficult to put into words.”
N.C. Emergency Management reports Pilot Mountain got 8.9 inches of rain in 24 hours, and nearby areas got 4 to 6.5 inches.
As a result, the Ararat River in Surry County rose 17 feet in three hours, sending the river “at least 10 feet over its banks at the peak,” WFMY reports.
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Photos shared on social media show waist-deep water covered many roads and flooded businesses. A layer of mud was left behind when the waters receded.
The Mount Airy’s Public Works and Fire Departments suffered “catastrophic” losses when offices and maintenance lots were flooded, submerging city owned vehicles and equipment, officials said.
Mount Airy also declared a State of Emergency Sunday, and noted city employees were continuing to make damage assessments. Multiple city parks and the Granite City Greenway were closed due to safety concerns, city officials said.
The National Weather Service reported Monday that thunderstorms and flash flooding continue to be a threat for the region.
Surry County is along the Virginia state line, about a 90-mile drive north from uptown Charlotte.
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