Small North Carolina town becomes an ISLAND after Hurricane Florence dumped two feet of rain in 48 hours as the storm’s death toll rises to 32

Tuesday, September 18, 2018
By Paul Martin

Lumberton, North Carolina, has a population of about 22,000 people and has been left a virtual island by Hurricane Florence
Flood waters accumulated after two feet of rain fell in a span of 48 hours
The River Lumber, which runs through downtown, spilled over into the streets after cresting at 25 feet – more than a foot higher than during Hurricane Matthew in 2016
The death toll from Florence, which has now been downgraded to a tropical storm, had reached 32

By LOUISE BOYLE
DAILYMAIL.COM
18 September 2018

The small town of Lumberton was besieged by floodwaters on Monday amid the ongoing devastation of Hurricane Florence.

The town was left a virtual island after 2 feet of rain in 48 hours.

The River Lumber, which runs through downtown, spilled over into the streets after cresting at 25 feet – more than a foot higher than during Hurricane Matthew in 2016.

The death toll from Florence, which has now been downgraded to a tropical storm, had reached 32.

In North Carolina, fears of what could be the worst flooding in the state’s history led officials to order tens of thousands to evacuate, though it wasn’t clear how many had fled or even could.

In Lumberton, most of the town was inaccessible from flooding. Trucks and SUVs were risking rising flowing waters to rescue people.

The town, founded soon after the American Revolutionary War, is still recovering in parts from Matthew.

A makeshift levee of 5,000 sandbags was created on Friday by National Guard and city employees, with local people pitching in to help.

By Sunday, that levee had been breached.

On the west side of Lumberton, homeowners who had chosen to remain anxiously watched the murky water.

Evia Locklear, 76, told DailyMail.com: ‘I’m fine. I’m not leaving my puppies. I’ve got light and everything so why would I leave? So long as it doesn’t come in the house.

‘I swept the water out of the house during Hurricane Matthew, I don’t think it will be as bad as that.’

The grandmother, who had six people staying at her home, was concerned that one more rainfall would bring the water over the steps and into her single-story house.

She said that she was running low on pet food for her two cats and four dogs – Ginger, Lady, Cujo and Lucy.

Her daughter-in-law, Amanda Hill, 33, also lives at the home with her husband, Robbie, 38, and daughter Libertie, 14.

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