NC Floodwaters Recede, State Focuses on Recovery

RALEIGH -- PRESS RELEASE :  Interstate 40 Reopens, Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program Begins Today

NC Roy Cooper Office 

Raleigh

September 24, 2018

The state’s work on Hurricane Florence is shifting from emergency response to recovery, Governor Roy Cooper said Monday, but North Carolinians need to remain careful in areas hit hard by the storm.

“Florence is gone but the storm’s devastation is still with us,” Gov. Cooper said. “As we’re shifting from emergency response to full-time recovery from the storm, please remain careful in hard-hit areas and please, please stay away from flooded roads.”

35 people have died as a result of the hurricane. An 82-year-old male died from suicide in Beaufort County on Saturday after his house was condemned due to flooding. A 51-year-old female was discovered in a submerged vehicle in Robeson County.

Across southeastern North Carolina, seven rivers are currently at major flood stage and three are at moderate flood stage. Additional rain could fall today and tomorrow in some areas.

I-40, I-95 Open Through North Carolina
Interstate 40 reopened today, Governor Cooper announced. One lane remains closed leaving Wilmington, near mile marker 413, due to water on the road. Florence’s floodwaters covered two sections of I-40 (between mile markers 373-385, and 408-414) on September 15. North Carolina Department of Transportation engineers began inspecting the interstate when the flooding started to recede this weekend and brought in contractor crews to immediately begin work on several areas that needed repairs.

Interstate 95 reopened through North Carolina late Sunday evening.

Also Monday, NCDOT opened U.S. 70 in Kinston to one lane of traffic in both directions, U.S. 74 to Wilmington and NC Ports' terminals in Wilmington and Morehead City resumed full commercial truck operations.

Road closures have dropped to around 400 as of Monday afternoon, down from a high of more than 1,600. NCDOT advises motorists not to travel in the following counties because of flooding and washed out roads and bridges: Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, Jones, Lenoir, Pender, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland and southeastern Wayne (south of U.S. 70 Business and east of U.S. 117). For the latest road conditions, visit drivenc.gov.

Latest Updates
Storm related power outages in North Carolina are down to around 5,000 from a peak of about 800,000, thanks to ongoing work by utility crews.
Statewide, approximately 2,200 people remain in shelters, down from a peak of approximately 20,000. People who may need temporary housing following the storm are encouraged to apply with FEMA.

Transitional Sheltering Assistance Become Available
FEMA has approved Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA), a sheltering option that can help fill a gap until survivors identify short or long-term housing solutions. TSA is now available to eligible survivors whose pre-disaster primary residence is in one of the following counties: Brunswick, Carteret, Craven, Columbus, New Haven, Onslow, Pender or Robeson.

Storm survivors who do not have the option to return home and are unable to have their needs met through insurance, congregate shelters, or rental assistance provided by FEMA or another agency (federal, state or voluntary) may be eligible for TSA. Survivors will be notified of their eligibility through an automated phone call, text message, and/or email depending upon the method of communication they selected when they registered with FEMA for assistance.

Survivors who have already registered with FEMA and are eligible for TSA will be notified of their eligibility beginning today. To locate participating hotels, visit disasterassistance.gov, scroll down to the Quick Links section, and click on “TSA Hotel Locator.” You can also call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-FEMA or TTY 800-462-7585.

Register for disaster assistance
Florence survivors are beginning to take steps to recover from the storm. So far, 78,000 North Carolinians have applied for federal disaster assistance. Nearly $21 million in Individual Assistance grants from FEMA have been approved.

North Carolinians who suffered damage from Florence are urged to apply for disaster assistance immediately by calling 1-800-621-FEMA or TTY 800-462-7585 to register via telephone or by using the FEMA app or visiting disasterassistance.gov to register online.

Survivors with homeowners and/or flood insurance should file claims with their insurance company if they haven’t already done so and should not wait to begin their cleanup and repairs. Take photos of damage and save all receipts for cleanup and repairs.

Disaster Recovery Centers Open
NC Emergency Management and FEMA are partnering to open Disaster Recovery Centers in hard-hit areas. The centers offer in-person support to individuals and businesses in the counties included in the North Carolina major disaster declaration for Hurricane Florence and the subsequent floods. Recovery specialists from FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration, the state and other organizations will be at the centers to talk about assistance and to help anyone who needs guidance in filing an application.

Disaster Recovery Centers are currently open in the following counties, with more centers expected to open in affected areas soon:

Onslow County
Next to Don Williamson Nissan
312 Western Blvd.
Jacksonville, NC 28546
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Cumberland County
Cumberland County Social Services Dept.
1225 Ramsey St.
Fayetteville, NC 28301
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Pamlico County
Grantsboro Town Hall
10628 NC Hwy. 55 East
Grantsboro, NC 28529
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Mobile Registration Intake Centers are open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the following locations until further notice:

New Hanover County
3500 Oleander Dr. (Old Sears building)
Wilmington, NC 28403-0811
Craven County
1 Governmental Ave. (Havelock City Hall)
Havelock, NC 28532-1969

Carteret County
3280 Bridges Street (Carteret County Health Department)
Morehead City, NC 28557-3290

Donations
The North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund is available for donations to support North Carolina’s response to Hurricane Florence. To donate, visit governor.nc.gov or text FLORENCE to 20222.

More Resources
The statewide information line can provide callers with nearby shelter, housing and other storm-related details. Dial 2-1-1 or 888-892-1162, or text FLORENCE to 898211. The information line is staffed around the clock to connect North Carolinians to storm resources. Other resources can be obtained by visiting ncdps.gov/florence or following NC Emergency Management on Facebook and Twitter.

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