Governor Pat McCrory joined local officials and emergency responders today to see first-hand the damage in Fayetteville caused by severe flooding from Hurricane Matthew.
“North Carolina is resilient, our people are strong and we are going to get through this together,” said Governor McCrory. “This storm is still impacting people in a big way. You have got to see it to believe all the devastation that has occurred.”
Governor McCrory joined Fayetteville Mayor Nat Robertson and emergency responders as they toured damage at Lafayette Park and area washouts along Gillespie Street.
There have now been 11 confirmed storm-related fatalities, the most recent occuring in Gates County.
There have been more than 700 swift water rescues in Cumberland County alone, where boat rescue teams from other states have also joined the effort. Other state rescue resources deployed to Fayetteville include the state’s Helo-Aquatic Rescue Teams and North Carolina National Guard troops with high water rescue vehicles.
Currently, five shelters open in Cumberland County housing nearly 200 occupants. The state has sent ice, bottled water, tents, cots and a mobile water treatment center to help in Cumberland County during this time of need.
The governor emphasized that this will be a prolonged event as rivers will be cresting throughout the coming week in areas including Lumberton, Kinston, Greenville and Rocky Mount in addition to Fayetteville.
Governor McCrory also thanked state officials for their commitment to fiscal responsibility in upholding his recommendation to invest in the state’s rainy day fund, bringing the total to an all-time-high of $1.6 billion.
Parts of I-95 near Fayetteville remain closed due to flooding. For the latest road updates, call 5-1-1. For those needing information regarding the storm, including nearby shelter, housing, and other storm-related details, call 2-1-1.
For more information about responding to a hurricane and what to do before, during or after a storm, go to ReadyNC.gov. You can also get real-time traffic and weather updates on the ReadyNC mobile app. Follow N.C. Emergency Management on Twitter and Facebook for the latest on Hurricane Matthew.