State of North Carolina
Western North Carolina Flooding
SITREP 02
January 8, 1998
0600 Hours
I. SITUATION
A. Initial
A very warm and moist air mass located over North Carolina coupled
with south to southeasterly winds produced a weather situation where
intense bands of rain moved from the Gulf of Mexico, northward across
North Carolina. These bands of rain produced heavy to very heavy rains
in some mountain areas of North Carolina since sunset on Wednesday,
January 7th.
The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Warning for the
following counties: Burke, Caldwell, McDowell, Polk and Rutherford until
8:00 am.
B. Current
The State Emergency Operations Center activated at 2300 hours. The
entire weather system will be slowly moving eastward during the day on
Thursday. Another moderate to heavy band of rain is moving across
South Carolina towards central North Carolina at this time. This band of
rain should affect the foothills and Piedmont regions of North Carolina
with moderate to heavy rains during Thursday morning. Eastern areas
of North Carolina will see scattered thunderstorms, some potentially
becoming severe during the afternoon hours on Thursday.
A cold frontal system will move across the Carolinas during late
Thursday, causing the entire air mass to move east of the Carolinas.
Friday will see clearing skies and the beginning of the return to more
seasonable temperatures over the area. A very warm and moist air
mass coupled with south to southeasterly winds has produced a
weather situation where bands of rain are moving from the south,
northward across up state South Carolina and western North Carolina.
The bands of rain have produced moderate to locally heavy rains in the
mountain counties of North Carolina since about sunset on Wednesday,
January 7, 1998. Streams and rivers are now at or approaching flood
stage over many areas of the region. Automatic reporting rain gages in
the region have reported 24 hour total precipitation amounts of 8 - 12
inches as of midnight on January 8th.
The entire weather system will be slowly moving eastward during the
early morning hours, thus rains will be diminishing in the mountains but
the foothills and central Piedmont areas will be receiving moderate to
heavy rains around sunrise on Thursday.
It is anticipated that counties in the foothills and Piedmont areas of North
Carolina will be posted with National Weather Service Flood Warnings
during the morning hours of Thursday.
II. LOCAL ACTIONS
Alleghany - some secondary roads are under water.
Alexander -no current information
Ashe - no current information
Avery - report as of 01:50 hours of multiple homes washed
downstream. Swift Water SAR team dispatched to assist.
Buncombe - South Buncombe US Hwy 25A is flooded.
Burke - I-40 closed at mile marker 110 near Valdese
Caldwell - evacuation initiated in John's River area
Cabarrus - no current information
Catawba - no current information
Cherokee - Two houses evacuated near the town of Andrews.
Clay - monitoring the situation
Gaston - monitoring the situation
Graham - monitoring the situation
Haywood - monitoring need to evacuate Britthaven Nursing Home in
Clyde.
Henderson - ok monitoring at this time
Iredell - monitoring the situation
Jackson - Rest home evacuated.
Lincoln - monitoring the situation
Macon - Riverside Road, Junaluska Road, Sam Corn Road, Sara Road,
Needmore Road, and US 64-E closed. One house flooded in the
Nantahala Community.
Madison - ok monitoring at this time
McDowell - Rock slide at I-40 and Old Fort Mountain. One westbound
lane is blocked. Dot is on scene. NC Hwy 80 closed due to landslide.
Mecklenburg - No activity reported except mobilization of Swift Water
rescue team being deployed/staged in Hickory at the DEM Western
Branch Office.
Mitchell - Local state of emergency declared at 20:30 hours to
implement mandatory evacuation below Crabtree Creek dam. As of
23:30 hours, unrelated rescue situation reported involving two persons
with house surrounded by water. Rescue personnel arrived and were
also trapped by the rapid rising waters. Helicopters unable to fly.
Shelter opened at Esto Fire Department. Shelters established at Grassy
Creek Fire Department, Spruce Pine Fire Department, Bowman Middle
School (DSS operating these shelters). DOT reports NC 226 between
Bakersville and Spruce Pine has one lane open. The other lane is closed
due to debris on road.
Polk - monitoring the situation
Rowan - monitoring the situation
Rutherford - Lake Lure reporting evacuation with two shelters opened.
One mobile home park evacuated. Flooding on Bill's Creek and Cedar
Creek. Shelters established at Bills Creek Fire Department and Lake
Lure Town Hall.
Stanly - monitoring the situation
Swain - Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians reporting minor flooding and
mud slides.
Transylvania - Report of several roads in southern end of county under
water.
Union - monitoring the situation
Watauga - Evacuating Glennstone Health Care. Special needs shelter at
Hardin Park Elementary School (ARC operated). Regular shelters
activated at Foscoe Christian Church and Grace Lutheran Church
(Boone). Hwy. 105 underwashed in Foscoe (between Banner Elk and
Boone). NC Hwy 194 blocked between Heaton and Banner Elk. Several
other roads have water reported on them.
Wilkes - monitoring the situation
Yancey - Several bridges underwater, US 19-E at the Mitchell County
line is under water with 2 land slides in the east bound lane.
III. STATE ACTIONS
Operations Section
Human Services Group
The Human Services Group is on partial activation and planning for
response needs. Department of Social Services, American Red Cross
and Salvation Army activated to support shelter operations.
ARC - deploying two Emergency Response Vehicles (ERV) to Avery and
Mitchell.
Shelters open as of 0110 hours:
Watauga - Harden Park Elementary School, Foscoe Christian Church,
Foscoe VFD, Grace Lutheran Church
Mitchell - Grassy Creek VFD, Spruce Pine VFD, Estatoe VFD,
Bakersville Baptist Church
Rutherford - Bills Creek VFD, Lake Lure Municipal Bldg
Haywood - Junaluska School, Center Pigeon VFD, Clyde VFD
Jackson - Jackson County Community Services Bldg
Supplement ERV in Durham, Raleigh and Winston Salem on standby.
Southern Baptist Men alerted for probable deployment of mobile Kitchen
for feeding and re-supply of ERV's.
Individual Assistance - organizing Preliminary Damage Assessment
(PDA) teams for damage assessment.
Infrastructure Support Group
The Infrastructure Services Group is partially activated for various
assessment and recovery functions.
Energy -Power outages reported in several counties. Duke Energy has
not activated its storm center. Will contact all utilities for damage
assessment at first light.
Transportation - Currently dispatching debris clearance teams as well
as bridge maintenance teams the effected area based on initial impact
assessments. Coordination of DOT assets in surrounding areas to
support local clean up efforts.
Public Assistance- PDA are being identified for deployment to affected
area. PDA and civil engineering support will be dispatched to affected
area as soon as possible in order to conduct public assistance damage
assessment.
Emergency Services Group
The Emergency Services Group is fully activated planning for increased
evacuation activities. The State Highway Patrol, Office of Emergency
Medical Services and Fire & Rescue Division have been activated.
OEMS activated Forsyth Rescue Squad Swift Water Rescue Team to the
Western Branch office. They arrived at 04:34 with the following
resources,
1. 7 personnel
2. 1 wave runner
3. 1 hover craft
4. 1 4x4 vehicle
5. 1 step van
Asheville Fire Dept., Haywood Co. Rescue Squad, South Orange Rescue
Squad, and Durham Fire Department all have Swift Water Rescue teams,
each were put on stand-by to be deployed to the Western Branch office
if requested.
SHP - continuing to monitor all road closings due to flooding and debris.
SHP escorted Charlotte's Swift Water Rescue Team from Conover to
Avery Co.
OEMS - field personnel have been deployed to the Western Branch
Office and to Haywood County where a possible nursing home
evacuation was being considered.
Logistics Section
The Logistics Section Group is partially activated to provide military
support.
Military Support- NCNG providing support for rescue, power, water,
and transportation. Alerted State Aviation Officer for potential aviation
support missions. Alerted the Reverse Osmosis Purification Unit (ROPU)
to be prepared to support water requirements. Additional personnel are
being activated in response to the situation.
Resource Support- Garner Environmental alerted.
Donations Management- Not activated
Information and Planning Section
Monitoring the current situation and reviewing weather updates.
Developing a situation report, incident action plans, conducting briefings
and conferences, and displaying maps showing advisories, watches
and warnings and the counties that are affected by the storm.
Finance Section
The Finance Section is not activated at this time.
IV. FEDERAL ACTIONS
FEMA notified and are sending a representative to the State EOC.
V. DISTRIBUTION
SERT Agencies
Situation Reports Group