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Hurricane Matthew’s Toll Rises; Flooding Strands 1,500 in North Carolina Hurricane Matthew’s Toll Rises; Flooding Continues
(about 5 hours later)
■ Gov. Pat McCrory of North Carolina said on Monday that an urgent rescue effort was underway in Lumberton, where a levee breach in the wake of Hurricane Matthew forced people to their rooftops. ■ The storm’s death toll in the United States has climbed to more than two dozen. Gov. Pat McCrory of North Carolina said Tuesday that the state had recorded 14 fatalities. At least six people died in Florida, and the authorities in Georgia and South Carolina reported three deaths in each state.
■ The storm’s death toll in the United States has climbed to about two dozen, and with some residents still missing, that number could rise. Officials said it could be days before they were sure of the figures. ■ More than 650,000 customers remain without electricity, according to local utilities, with about half of those in North Carolina and Virginia.
■ The toll in Haiti, which took a direct hit, has been hard to measure. As many as 1,000 people have died, according to a Reuters report based on information from civil protection and local officials. Along with hundreds of lives, the storm wiped out much of the progress that an isolated city, Jérémie, had been making. Read more from Azam Ahmed » ■ Mr. McCrory said law enforcement officials had been involved in a fatal police shooting during a confrontation in a flooded area.
Mr. McCrory, addressing reporters in Raleigh on Monday, said a levee breach before dawn had endangered about 1,500 residents in Lumberton. Governor McCrory said Tuesday that an enormous swath of North Carolina was in turmoil.
“Floodwaters are rising very quickly,” said Mr. McCrory, who added that water was knee-deep in many places. “We do have people on the roofs as we speak, and we have a lot of helicopters and boats that have been deployed that are, at this point in time, rescuing them.” “Certain parts of the state were going through recovery at this point in time,” Mr. McCrory said. “Certain parts of the state were still going through ongoing floods. And now, we have other parts of the state that are about to deal with some very serious circumstances, especially along two of our major rivers.”
Mr. McCrory also reported 10 fatalities in North Carolina, raising the hurricane’s death toll in the United States to at least 21. Since the storm struck the state, at least 1,400 people have been rescued. — ALAN BLINDER Mr. McCrory said state officials were especially worried about residents in and near Goldsboro, Greenville and Rocky Mount, where flooding was expected throughout the week. And with North Carolina’s fatality count rising, often because of vehicles that become submerged, Mr. McCrory begged residents to avoid driving through flooded areas.
“If we say the water’s coming and we say do not drive through that water, we mean it,” Mr. McCrory said. “Do not go through water. We’ve had over 10 people killed as a result of that. We are not messing around, and we do not want to put people at risk to save you once you’ve made that decision.”
He continued: “Too many people have died, and we don’t want anymore to die. Yet there are going to be conditions during the next 72 hours which will be extremely dangerous.”
Three people are missing, the governor said.
Mr. McCrory also said that a state trooper had shot and killed a man in Lumberton on Monday evening after “a confrontation.” The governor said that state officials were investigating the shooting and that it had occurred in a flooded area that emergency workers were trying to traverse in a Humvee.
“All we know is there was a confrontation, and a shooting that has resulted in a man’s death in very, very difficult circumstances,” the governor said.
More than 2,000 people have been rescued since the flooding began in North Carolina, nearly 100 people by aircrews. Evacuation orders were widespread, and the state authorities moved nearly 800 inmates from a prison near the Neuse River.
The governor said it was “unacceptable” that about 50 or 60 people were resisting demands that they leave a part of Moore County where a dam was at risk of failing.
“Get out,” Mr. McCrory said. “Get out now.”
The White House said Monday evening that President Obama had signed a federal disaster declaration for 31 counties.
Mr. McCrory said Tuesday that about 282,000 homes and businesses were without electricity, and portions of Interstate 40 and Interstate 95 remained closed.
A federal judge on Monday extended Florida’s voter registration deadline by one day, delivering a quick legal victory to Democrats who argued that the storm had upended plans to draw more people into the political process in one of the nation’s most closely contested states.A federal judge on Monday extended Florida’s voter registration deadline by one day, delivering a quick legal victory to Democrats who argued that the storm had upended plans to draw more people into the political process in one of the nation’s most closely contested states.
In a harshly worded ruling, Judge Mark E. Walker of the Federal District Court in Tallahassee said residents would be allowed to join the voter rolls until 5 p.m. Wednesday. In a strongly worded ruling, Judge Mark E. Walker of Federal District Court in Tallahassee said residents would be allowed to join the voter rolls until 5 p.m. Wednesday.
“This case pits the fundamental right to vote against administrative convenience,” Judge Walker wrote. “Of course, the State of Florida has the ability to set its own deadlines and has an interest in maintaining those deadlines. But it would be nonsensical to prioritize those deadlines over the right to vote, especially given the circumstances here.”“This case pits the fundamental right to vote against administrative convenience,” Judge Walker wrote. “Of course, the State of Florida has the ability to set its own deadlines and has an interest in maintaining those deadlines. But it would be nonsensical to prioritize those deadlines over the right to vote, especially given the circumstances here.”
Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican and one of the named defendants in the lawsuit, has resisted calls from Democrats that he extend the voter registration period, which was scheduled to end on Tuesday. His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. — ALAN BLINDERGov. Rick Scott, a Republican and one of the named defendants in the lawsuit, has resisted calls from Democrats that he extend the voter registration period, which was scheduled to end on Tuesday. His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. — ALAN BLINDER
Several rivers in eastern North Carolina broke out of their banks on Monday, after weekend rainfalls of up to 16 inches in places, the National Weather Service reported. Some rivers reached record heights, while on others, waters are expected to keep rising for days in places, as the floods move downstream. Several rivers in eastern North Carolina broke out of their banks on Monday, after weekend rainfalls of up to 16 inches in places, the National Weather Service reported. Some rivers reached record heights, and in some places the waters are expected to keep rising for days, as the floods move downstream.
The Cape Fear River south of Fayetteville crested on Monday at more than 26 feet above flood stage; farther downstream, near Chinquapin, the river was forecast to rise into Wednesday.The Cape Fear River south of Fayetteville crested on Monday at more than 26 feet above flood stage; farther downstream, near Chinquapin, the river was forecast to rise into Wednesday.
To the northeast, the Neuse River reached more than eight feet above flood stage near Goldsboro on Monday, and it was projected to rise another two feet, peaking on Tuesday near its record. Downstream, near Kinston, the Neuse rose more than seven feet above flood stage, and was expected to climb five feet more, not cresting until Saturday.To the northeast, the Neuse River reached more than eight feet above flood stage near Goldsboro on Monday, and it was projected to rise another two feet, peaking on Tuesday near its record. Downstream, near Kinston, the Neuse rose more than seven feet above flood stage, and was expected to climb five feet more, not cresting until Saturday.
The Lumber River at Lumberton rose four feet higher than it had ever been measured before. The Little River at Manchester broke its previous record by three feet.The Lumber River at Lumberton rose four feet higher than it had ever been measured before. The Little River at Manchester broke its previous record by three feet.
Several South Carolina rivers also reached moderate or major flood stage, the Weather Service reported, but conditions there were not as severe. — RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑASeveral South Carolina rivers also reached moderate or major flood stage, the Weather Service reported, but conditions there were not as severe. — RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA
Storm surge and battering waves can devastate coastal beaches and the dunes behind them. So when Hurricane Matthew raked the coasts of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, it carved away some beaches — though it left others relatively untouched. Storm surge and battering waves can devastate beaches and the dunes behind them. When Hurricane Matthew raked the coasts of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, it carved away some beaches — though it left others relatively untouched.
Brevard County, Fla., home to Cocoa Beach, the Kennedy Space Center and other famous tourist attractions, lost about one million cubic yards of sand from its 72 miles of beaches, said Virginia Barker, the county’s natural resources management director. Brevard County, Fla., home to Cocoa Beach, the Kennedy Space Center and other famous tourist attractions, lost about one million cubic yards of sand from its 72 miles of beaches, said Virginia Barker, the county’s natural resources management director. While the number is large, the damage was less than that caused by Hurricane Sandy or the storms that passed through in 2004 and 2005. Matthew “was more of a glancing blow,” Ms. Barker said.
While the number is large, the damage was less than that caused by Hurricane Sandy or the storms that passed through in 2004 and 2005. Matthew “was more of a glancing blow,” she said. It helped that the storm hit at a very low spot in the tide cycle, she said, and that the storm moved quickly. Also, she said, it was especially fortunate that “our beaches were in really good shape before the storm,” with beach and dune replenishment programs in place since 2000. “We talk about them being ‘sacrificial sands,’ ” she said, a kind of environmental crumple zone to blunt storm damage. It helped that the storm hit at a very low spot in the tide cycle, she said, and that the storm moved quickly. Also, she said, it was especially fortunate that “our beaches were in really good shape before the storm,” with beach and dune replenishment programs in place since 2000. “We talk about them being ‘sacrificial sands,’ ” she said, a kind of environmental crumple zone to blunt storm damage.
Farther north, many shorelines were reshaped by the storm; after a helicopter tour, Governor Scott told reporters in Jacksonville that he had seen “an unbelievable amount of beach erosion,” but that the state was “blessed” that the hurricane stayed offshore.Farther north, many shorelines were reshaped by the storm; after a helicopter tour, Governor Scott told reporters in Jacksonville that he had seen “an unbelievable amount of beach erosion,” but that the state was “blessed” that the hurricane stayed offshore.
Environmental officials in states farther north said their coastal evaluations were still underway. Mary-Kathryn Craft, a spokeswoman for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, said that early reports indicated “erosion is rather extensive throughout the coast,” and that many state beaches “were already experiencing significant sand deficits and chronic erosion.”Environmental officials in states farther north said their coastal evaluations were still underway. Mary-Kathryn Craft, a spokeswoman for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, said that early reports indicated “erosion is rather extensive throughout the coast,” and that many state beaches “were already experiencing significant sand deficits and chronic erosion.”
The state had been working on replenishment projects. Since the storm, the agency has also collaborated with local governments and citizens to post reports through its MyCoast app, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has posted aerial photographs. — JOHN SCHWARTZThe state had been working on replenishment projects. Since the storm, the agency has also collaborated with local governments and citizens to post reports through its MyCoast app, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has posted aerial photographs. — JOHN SCHWARTZ
The American Red Cross has published a list of safety tips for homeowners returning to property damaged in hurricanes.The American Red Cross has published a list of safety tips for homeowners returning to property damaged in hurricanes.
Once cleanup begins, taking photographs of damaged or destroyed property before it is discarded provides a record for use in making insurance claims, says Ann Carrns, who writes the Your Money Adviser consumer finance column for The Times.Once cleanup begins, taking photographs of damaged or destroyed property before it is discarded provides a record for use in making insurance claims, says Ann Carrns, who writes the Your Money Adviser consumer finance column for The Times.
In Haiti, the Bahamas and Florida, the storm left behind stories of disaster and of disaster narrowly averted. Here are some of them »In Haiti, the Bahamas and Florida, the storm left behind stories of disaster and of disaster narrowly averted. Here are some of them »
On Monday, the storm broke up and headed northeast into the North Atlantic as a diffuse low-pressure system, passing the northeastern United States, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. After dropping some rain on the Northeast, it pushed out to sea with gale-force winds and heavy seas, but it continued to weaken. The storm’s toll in Haiti, which took a direct hit, has been hard to measure. As many as 1,000 people have died, Reuters news agency reported, citing local officials.. Along with hundreds of lives, the storm wiped out much of the progress that an isolated city, Jérémie, had been making. Read more from Azam Ahmed »
On Monday, the storm broke up and headed northeast into the North Atlantic as a diffuse low-pressure system, passing the northeastern United States, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.