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At least 1 dead as Chantal brings record-breaking flooding to North Carolina

At least 1 dead as Chantal brings record-breaking flooding to North Carolina

Yahoo5 days ago
Crews in North Carolina are "overwhelmed" with water rescues and search efforts on Monday after Chantal, then a tropical storm, made landfall a day earlier, causing record-breaking flooding in the central part of the state and at least one death, officials said.
While the storm has dissipated as of Monday morning, Chantal -- the third named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season -- brought up to 6 inches of rain in some areas, causing many to be displaced from their homes.
A woman in Chatham County, North Carolina, died on Sunday after she drove into the floodwaters and was swept approximately 100 feet off the roadway, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
More than 120 roads have closed due to flooding and a portion of Highway 902 collapsed and was washed away, officials said.
"Just because the water may have subsided in some areas it is still dangerous to travel in some places," Chatham County Sheriff Mike Roberson said on Monday.
MORE: Hurricane season is here and meteorologists are losing a vital tool for forecasting them
In Orange County, North Carolina, the storm brought 5 to 9 inches of rain, causing flooded roads along with fallen trees and power lines. The counties of Alamance, Moore and Orange have declared states of emergency, according North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein.
"I urge all North Carolinians to listen to any guidance from local weather and local emergency management officials and be aware of any road warnings and closures before they leave the house," Stein said in a statement.
The Eno River near Huckleberry Springs -- just outside of Durham, North Carolina -- rose more than 20 feet in less than six hours as of Monday morning, and the Haw River near Burlington grew from 2 feet to 32.5 feet in just 13 hours.
More than 33,000 customers were still without power in North Carolina as of noon on Monday and the town of Hillsborough, North Carolina, issued a notice asking residents to boil their water as flooding from the Eno River impacted the local water treatment plant.
The town will have a "limited supply of water until the river recedes and the drinking water can be processed to refill the water tanks," officials said.
Chantal will continue to move northeast on Monday, with flood watches in effect for northeast Virginia through central New Jersey. About 2 to 3 inches of rain is possible in these areas, with the storm hitting Baltimore and Philadelphia on Monday afternoon and New York City seeing light rain on Monday evening into Tuesday morning.
ABC News' Kenton Gewecke and Ahmad Hemingway contributed to this report.
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As Kerr County leaders avoid alert questions, new audio surfaces in CodeRED timeline
As Kerr County leaders avoid alert questions, new audio surfaces in CodeRED timeline

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As Kerr County leaders avoid alert questions, new audio surfaces in CodeRED timeline

KERR COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) – Dispatch audio has surfaced from the critical hours before a deadly flood hit its height in Kerr County, helping piece together the timeframe local officials have yet to provide amid public scrutiny of their decisions on July 4. 'We still have water coming up,' an Ingram volunteer firefighter is heard telling a county sheriff dispatcher at 4:22 a.m. 'The Guadalupe Schumacher sign is underwater on State Highway 39. Is there any way we can send a CodeRED out to our Hunt residents, asking them to find higher ground or stay home?' LISTEN: Ingram volunteer firefighter calls Kerr County dispatch during deadly July 4 flood, requesting CodeRED alert. CodeRED is a notification system some agencies use to send emergency alerts to subscribers' cell phones. Online, the county encourages residents to sign up for the free service, which 'has the ability to notify the entire county or only the affected areas' about emergency situations – including severe weather – 'in a matter of minutes.' In the recording obtained by KXAN investigators from a credible source, the dispatcher then tells the firefighter: 'We have to get that approved with our supervisor. Just be advised we do have the Texas water rescue en route.' The timing of that request came more than three hours after the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning – at 1:14 a.m. – for a portion of the county and around 20 minutes after the federal forecasting agency warned of a flash flood emergency – at 4:03 a.m. – in the area. Sheriff hints at 'after action' review, as records reveal warning of 'worst-case flood event' It is still unclear at what time CodeRED alerts went out, as local officials have largely sidestepped related questions. Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr. told reporters the only CodeRED notification he received was at 6 a.m., indicating a flash flood alert or 'something to that effect.' Ceslie Armstrong, who identified herself as a San Antonio-based producer and journalist – and longtime Hill Country resident who is subscribed to CodeRED – provided KXAN investigators with call recordings and text messages she said she received during the flood. The first was a text received at 5:34 a.m., saying a 'The NWS has issued a Flash Flood Warning for your… location.' It was followed a minute later by a pre-recorded audio message, saying the same, adding to 'take immediate action for your protection.' CodeRED alerts from Kerr County on July 4 (Courtesy Ceslie Armstrong) Another person near the flooded area who spoke with KXAN shared a cell phone screenshot, showing a much earlier alert time with a voicemail left at 1:14 a.m. from a number traced back to CodeRED. It suggests inconsistencies in recipients countywide. Responding to CodeRED concerns during a Wednesday press event, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said an 'after action' review would happen after recovery and notifying victims' families. 'I know that's going to be asked over and over,' Leitha said. 'Please understand that… We're not going to hide from everything, that's going to be checked into at a later time.' On Thursday morning, officials updated the county's death toll to 96. A total of 161 people were still missing. County commissioners approved the use of CodeRED in 2009 for $25,000 a year. On the county's website, it states the 'system delivered pre-recorded emergency phone messages' when 'rapid and accurate notification is essential for life safety.' Historically, the sheriff has had the ultimate authority on sending an alert to the public. 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'Each local jurisdiction independently determines their intended use of tools such as CodeRED as well as their local process to dispatch notifications and alerts using the tool,' a CodeRED corporate spokesperson told KXAN investigators. 'Local governments also determine whether to send alerts through IPAWS during the alert creation process within CodeRED.' In 2012, The Kerrville Daily Times reported 18,451 people had signed up for CodeRED alerts in the area. In 2020, county commissioners approved incorporating IPAWS into CodeRED, so that tourists could be reached even if they were not in the local database, according to meeting minutes and a video archive KXAN investigators reviewed. 'The easiest way to explain it is, say you're traveling through this area and we've had something happen here, it could still notify you if we send it out,' former Kerr County Sheriff William 'Rusty' Hierholzer told commissioners in a November 2020 meeting. Since last week's flood, officials have fielded questions regarding the effectiveness of CodeRED alerts in the county's rural areas where cell service can be spotty. Officials have also said many of the children at camps along the Guadalupe River did not have phones with them. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Wildlife rescue shelter takes in over 200 animals following Independence Day floods
Wildlife rescue shelter takes in over 200 animals following Independence Day floods

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timean hour ago

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Wildlife rescue shelter takes in over 200 animals following Independence Day floods

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Kerr County warned of ‘monstrous and devastating flash floods'
Kerr County warned of ‘monstrous and devastating flash floods'

Yahoo

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Kerr County warned of ‘monstrous and devastating flash floods'

AUSTIN (KXAN) — While Kerr County officials say they didn't know how bad the July 4 flooding would be, it warned residents nearly eight years ago to 'be flood aware' about the ongoing potential for 'monstrous and devastating flash floods.' 'The topography is favorable for water to not just stagnate but to rush down rivers, creeks and streams,' said Cary Burgess, a Hill Country meteorologist. 'If you get three or four inches of rain at one time, that could be a real serious problem.' Kerr County received as much as three to four times that, according to reports. In September 2017, the Upper Guadalupe River Authority sounded the alarm in an online video produced with Kerr County and the city of Kerrville warning about the dangers of flash floods and its historical precedent posted to YouTube. The video notes Kerr County, and Central Texas, are 'the most flash flood prone area in the United States by the National Weather Service, often referred to as 'Flash Flood Alley' due to its steep terrain and shallow soil. As Kerr County leaders avoid alert questions, new audio surfaces in CodeRED timeline 'Our area has a history of monstrous and devastating flash floods,' the video said. Like a historic flood in August 1978 that killed at least nine people and another flood in July 1987 that killed 10. 'It rained about 15 inches in a matter of three hours,' Burgess said. In 2016, officials discussed flood warning sirens. According to Kerr County Commissioners' Court meeting minutes, one commissioner said at the time: 'The thought of beautiful Kerr County having these damn sirens going off in the middle of the night, I'm going to have to start drinking again to put up with y'all.' In 2018, the county's request for a $1 million grant for a new flood warning system was rejected. So far, Kerr County Emergency Management Coordinator William B. 'Dub' Thomas has not said what actions were taken after the first flood alerts came in a week ago. In the 2017 online video, he said it was up to residents to 'heed the warnings' — like not driving across flooded roads. 'It's all about personal accountability,' Thomas said. 'You're responsible for your life, your family's life, the lives of your children.' On Thursday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced the creation of House and Senate Select Committees on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding. Lawmakers will look at flood warning systems, emergency communications and relief funding during the upcoming special session. 'In the coming year, and into the next regular legislative session,' Patrick said, 'we will gather all the facts and answer the many questions to which the public demands answers.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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