62 Water Rescues as Little River Rises
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – As of 2:10 p.m. today there have been 62 people, 2 dogs and 2 cats rescued throughout the County. The water rescues were conducted by County, City of Fayetteville and FEMA Urban Search & Rescue Teams. Thirty-eight of the rescues were done by Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) and the rest by boat. Fifty-nine of the rescues were conducted in the county and three in the city.
Flooding Update – Pick a Side of the Cape Fear and Stay There
The Cape Fear and Little Rivers continue to rise. The Little River went over its projected forecast of 34.4 feet and is at 34.6. The water level of the Cape Fear River is expected to crest at 61.8-feet by 8 a.m. Tuesday. The river reached 58 feet during Hurricane Matthew.
As we approach the cresting of the Cape Fear River tomorrow morning, emergency management officials remind residents they should pick a side, either east or west, because they may have to stay there until bridges reopen.
Many people were out and about taking pictures of the Cape Fear River and Cross Creek today, and officials caution that even though the rain has ended, things are going to get worse before they get better as the water runs off into the smaller streams and to the main stem rivers.
Shelters
As of 3:30 p.m., there were 1,202 people in the shelters. The eight shelters housed in schools and recreation centers have been designated evacuation shelters by the Red Cross, which allowed the capacity to be increased.
Capacity |
Current Population At 3:30 p.m. |
|
College Lakes |
120 |
23 |
Kiwanis Recreation Center |
200 |
118 |
Mac Williams Middle School |
210 |
92 |
Pine Forest High School (Pet Friendly) |
275 |
246 |
Seventy-First High School |
295 |
92 |
Smith Recreation Center |
100 |
96 |
South View High School (Pet Friendly) |
310 |
237 |
W. T. Brown Elementary School |
125 |
92 |
Manna Church (Private Run Shelter) |
175 |
100 |
National Guard Armory (State Shelter) |
85 |
43 |
True Vine Ministries (Private Run Shelter) |
|
63 |
TOTAL |
1,895 |
1202 |
Roads
Although it may look as though conditions have improved, they have not. Flood waters are still rising. You should still stay off the roadways. There are many roads that are closed. Remember, road conditions are changing hourly.
There have been a lot of questions about closures for bridges going over the Cape Fear River. At this time N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has not scheduled any bridge closures. NCDOT is monitoring the bridges. If NCDOT closes bridges, an announcement will be made.
If you have questions about state roads, go to the N.C. Department of Transportation website drivenc.gov
For information about City of Fayetteville roads, visit the city website at fayettevillenc.gov and click on the red Hurricane Updates banner at the top of the page. Click on City Service Changes & Updates and Read Road Conditions.
Power Outages
As of 5:30 p.m., Sept. 17, PWC reported 2,543 Power Outages.
For numbers on other electric providers in Cumberland County, the media and public can monitor updates at the following links:
Lumbee River EMC: https://outages.lumbeeriver.com/
South River EMC: http://74.122.16.84/#viewer-menu-parent
Duke Energy Progress: https://www.duke-energy.com/outages/current-outages
Food Benefits
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced two new flexibilities for people and families in the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) program to help those affected by Hurricane Florence. These temporary flexibilities will apply to all 100 counties and the more than 600,000 households enrolled in the FNS program.
Beginning today, North Carolinians in the FNS program will be able to purchase hot food, including food prepared for immediate consumption, from authorized Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) retailers using their EBT card. All authorized EBT vendors in the state have been notified about this change, which is effective until Oct. 31. This will ensure families who are not able to prepare food at home due to displacement or power outages still have access to warm meals. Customers should inquire first with the store to see if they can process hot food purchases. It is important to note this is for authorized retailers, not restaurants.
Also beginning today, families who have a loss of food purchased with their September FNS benefits will have longer than the normal 10 days to report the loss to receive replacement benefits. Families will have until Oct. 15 to request a replacement. This will provide additional time for families who cannot report a food loss to their local Department of Social Services office due to displacement, transportation issues or other storm-related hardships.
A Disaster Food and Nutrition Services Program has not yet been approved at this time for North Carolina. DHHS is actively working with USDA to receive federal authority to operate this program. Once the department has approval, this information will be communicated.
For more information regarding Hurricane Florence, please visit www.ncdps.gov/florence and www.ncdhhs.gov/hurricane-florence. Those with non-emergency questions or concerns related to the hurricane should call 2-1-1 or visit www.nc211.org.