Trump issues disaster declaration in North Carolina as up to 40 inches of rain falls in the region, raising concerns of fatal flash floods in wake of storm that has left almost 1 MILLION without power and eight dead
President Trump issued a disaster declaration on Saturday that will allow residents in counties impacted by Hurricane Florence to receive federal funds in their efforts to rebuild after the storm
Hundreds are still trapped and close to a million are without power as eight deaths linked to the tropical storm
Winds of up to 90mph have battered coast downing trees, power lines, buildings and flooding roads
Around 1.7 million people in the area were under mandatory evacuation orders but many chose to remain
Many who remained in evacuation zones in North Carolina regretted their choice by Friday as storm hit land
In New Bern, hundreds waited anxiously for rescue while surrounded by quickly rising floodwaters
City ordered the Louisiana Cajun Navy to leave as officials said they needed no help to complete rescues
‘I feel like the dumbest human being who ever walked the face of the earth,’ said one resident who stayed
More than 773,000 homes without power in North Carolina while 166,000 are powerless in South Carolina
Storm center has crossed into South Carolina and officials fear Myrtle Beach could become totally cut off
By KEITH GRIFFITH
DAILYMAIL.COM
15 September 2018
President Trump issued a disaster declaration early Saturday that will help residents in North Carolina begin the process of rebuilding their homes and communities in the wake of the storm.
That came as the region is dealing with a deluge of ran on top of the storm surge, resulting in flood waters that have left some homes completely underwater.
This rain also has officials concerned about flash flooding, which in the past have caused just as much damage as the actual hurricane in the wake of these devastating storms.
President Trump also revealed he will be heading to North Carolina next week to asses the damage.
Hundreds of residents were left trapped ad close to a million had no power in the wake of the storm, while eight were killed as Hurricane Florence battered the south-east coast of America on its path of destruction.
Blowing ashore with howling 90 mph winds, Hurricane Florence splintered buildings, trapped hundreds of people and swamped entire communities along the Carolina coast.
Roads became flooded, trees blown over and homes destroyed as some parts of North Carolina have already seen surges of flood water as high as 10ft.
As Florence first broke on land yesterday 90mph winds struck the coastal areas, but as the storm system moved across land it was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm.
But it continues to soak the East Coast area with rain, downing trees, damaging homes and leaving hundreds of people stranded as it slowly grinds over the eastern states, with winds of 65mph.
Forecasters have warned parts of North and South Carolina, and Virginia are at risk of being hit by deadly flash floods form the rising water cause by the storm.
Eight deaths have been linked to the storm and around 2,000 people have been forced to stay in emergency shelters.
Swift-water rescue teams had saved more than 360 people in New Bern, North Carolina, by mid-afternoon on Friday, and another 140 were still waiting for help, a city spokeswoman said.
More than 1.7 million people in North and South Carolina were under evacuation orders before Florence hit, but it’s unclear how many of them decided to remain in their homes.
Nearly a million are without power in the Carolinas early on Saturday, with 773,559 outages in North Carolina and 166,589 without electricity in South Carolina.
The storm has already killed five people, including a mother and her eight-month-old baby.
Lesha Murphy-Johnson and her baby, Zac, were trapped inside their home in Wilmington after a tree fell onto the roof at around 9.30am on Friday.
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