Florence death toll rises to 31 as flooding continues to wreak havoc

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

As flooding continues to inundate North Carolina, the death toll from Florence has risen to at least 31, with 24 deaths confirmed in North Carolina.

The state’s governor, Roy Cooper, said on Monday that the “epic storm” was still an immediate danger as rivers reach major flood levels.

The coastal city of Wilmington became an island amid heavy floods following the storm.

Officials have warned evacuated residents to stay away. At a news conference on Monday, Gov Cooper said that catastrophic flooding and tornados continue to claim lives and property across the state.

He then went on to mention that for many parts of North Carolina the danger is still immediate and that certain areas have not seen the worst flooding yet. This is a monumental disaster for their state.

An initial estimate from Moody’s Analytics puts the cost of Florence between $17bn (£13bn) and $22bn, making the storm one of the 10 costliest hurricanes in US history, as per a news platform.

Most of the monetary damage is due to property loss, and the company said these figures could rise as inland flooding continues.

In Wilmington, with its population of about 120,000, some 400 people have had to be rescued from flood waters, and most of the city remains without power.

The governor said that 23 truckloads of supplies were able to make it into Wilmington this morning, though officials are uncertain whether the single road into the city will remain functional as rivers continue to flood.

The National Weather Service has warned of at least two further days of possible flash flooding in the area before conditions are forecast to improve.

Florence has now weakened to a tropical depression with winds of 30mph (45km/h), according to the National Hurricane Centre.

Some parts of the Carolinas have seen up to 40in (100cm) of rain since Thursday.

On Monday, the National Weather Service announced that the Cape Fear River near Fayetteville, North Carolina, is expected to reach the major flood stage – levels over 60ft (18m) – by this evening.

There were several tornado warnings across North Carolina on Monday morning.

One twister touched down in Elm City, causing some damage to buildings and power lines, according to local media reports.

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