LUMBERTON — The Lumber River in Lumberton was at 20.49 feet as of 5 p.m. Friday, according to the National Weather Service. It has consistently risen throughout the storm, but the level appeared to be plateauing and is forecast to begin a gradual decline by Saturday morning. Flood stage is 13 feet and anything above 19 feet is considered to be major flood stage.

Swampy areas around where Interstate 95 crosses the river, particularly on the west side of the highway, are flooded as of Friday. Fortunately, that area is mostly uninhabited.

Lumberton Public Works Director Rob Armstrong told The Robesonian that while he couldn’t say for certain that no homes along the river were flooded within the city, he was not aware of any.

“I think we’re in a good position, and hopefully the river will keep going down. … It’s been a pretty quiet day for us (Friday),” Armstrong said.

The National Weather Service report on Friday stated that at the 20-foot level, “Extensive flooding occurs along the river. Over 50 dwellings will be inundated or isolated due to the flood waters and several roads will be closed especially in the Pines area and Coxs Pond area. Carthage Road may be completely covered with water.”

John Cox, who owns a lot of the property along the river from the Interstate to the 3rd Street Bridge, said Friday this level of flooding is rare, but not unheard of. He said that 2016’s Hurricane Matthew was that last time the river had risen as high as it did during Tropical Storm Debby.

A barrier was constructed earlier this week on VFW Road near Interstate 95, consisting of Hesco barriers over the adjacent CSX railway and the expansion of a previously existing earthen berm. This was designed to keep floodwater from passing underneath Interstate 95 at that location and flooding West Lumberton, as was the case in hurricanes Matthew and Florence.

River levels have not been high enough to even test that barrier so far, and the city is planning to begin deconstructing the barrier as soon as Monday morning if no more adverse conditions occur before then.

Flash flooding on city streets that occurred Wednesday night and Thursday morning has completely subsided as of Friday afternoon, Armstrong said, and “everything is back to normal.”

Heavy rain resulted in flash flooding on parts in areas including parts of Linkhaw Road, Hillcrest Drive, Highland Avenue and North Walnut Street, all in the northern part of the city. These areas have had persistent flash flooding issues historically in periods of intense rain.

The Tanglewood area surrounding UNC Health Southeastern saw no flooding issues during the storm, a departure from the significant flooding in the area during hurricanes Matthew and Florence. This was the first major storm to hit Lumberton since the completion of the Tanglewood Drainage Project, which sought to improve stormwater drainage in that community by upgrading drainage piping systems and was completed in 2023.

The city’s power grid saw about 1,000 customers lose power for a few hours Wednesday evening into early Thursday morning, according to Lumberton Electric Utilities Director Greg Prevatte. But power was restored for all the city’s customers by mid-day Wednesday, he said, with most of the outages restored by 2 a.m.

While flash flooding often results in dangerous situations for motorists who do not heed calls to stay off the roads, there was no significant increase in traffic accidents in Lumberton throughout Wednesday night and Thursday morning compared to a normal day, according to Major Tommy Barnes of the Lumberton Police Department. Department operations continued smoothly throughout the storm, he said.

CodeRED

Robeson County officials introduced a new technology designed to help residents quicker.

“CodeRED Emergency Notification System is an ultra high-speed telephone communication service for emergency notifications and the distribution of information considered to be important,” according a statement onf the county’s web site. “The system allows us to telephone all or targeted areas of Robeson County in case of an emergency situation that requires immediate action, such as an evacuation, contaminated water, hazardous chemical spill, severe thunderstorm, flash flood, tornado warning, etc.”

Businesses close

The Super Walmart on Fayetteville Road in Lumberton closed Wednesday and Thursday when it had a power outage. A security guard at the entrance said the glitch interrupted computers and checkout machines, forcing the closure.

Gas stations and convenience stores around the county remained open through most of the weather event.

Roads impassable

On Wednesday night many roads throughout the county were impassable. Rural ditches overflowed and the National Weather Service issued a Flash Flood Warning for bother urban and rural areas near any body of water.

Linkhaw Road from Lumberton High School to the four-way stop at Meadow Road was underwater Wednesday.

Lingering impacts

Gov. Roy Cooper and state leaders urged people to continue exercising caution throughout the weekend as Tropical System Debby exits North Carolina. Riverineflooding and additional showers and thunderstorms increasing the risk of flash flooding throughout the state will continue to be felt throughout the weekend, according to a statement from the governors office. The State Emergency Response Team remains engaged in response to impacts from Tropical System Debby.

Tornadoes caused by Debby were reported in Franklin, Sampson, Pender, Greene and Wilson counties, causing structural damages and debris. Power outages totaled nearly 480,000 power outages with approximately 20,000 outages remaining as of Friday morning.

“North Carolinians should continue to exercise caution and heed directions from Emergency Management officials in the coming days,” Cooper said. “Though the storm is moving out of our state, the impacts of flooding and heavy rainfall may still be felt through the weekend and early next week.”

River systems across the state are forecast to reach moderate or major flood stage in the next several days, including the Cape Fear, Neuse, Black, North East Cape Fear, Lumber, Tar and Haw rivers. Heavy rainfall from Debby also impacted dams in Cumberland and Harnett on Thursday, and the State Emergency Response Team is monitoring potential impacts to other dams across the state. Swiftwater rescue teams and more than 370 soldiers and airmen from the North Carolina National Guard remain on standby to respond to potential impacts. As of Friday morning, the North Carolina Swift Water Rescue Teams have had 170 interactions, including structures searched and individuals evacuated or rescued.

“As the rivers crest in the coming days and clean up begins in areas that have experienced damage, please avoid travel, if possible,” said North Carolina Emergency Management Director Will Ray. “If you must travel, please visit DriveNC.gov to check roadway status.”

North Carolina residents should remain vigilant through the weekend for potential impacts from flooding. The North Carolina Flood Inundation and Mapping Alert Network of NC FIMAN provides flood information and access to the state’s nearly 600 river flood gauges. Visit FIMAN.NC.GOV and sign up for alerts from the gauges closest to your residence.

Residents are encouraged to follow reliable sources of information from the National Weather Service, local media outlets, and local emergency management authorities. Information regarding sheltering options and power outages can be found via county websites or visit ReadyNC.gov, or by calling 211 for emergency information.

Debby’s destructive path north

North Carolina has increased the number of National Guard troops activated and added more rescue vehicles into the mix as rains from Tropical Storm Debby continue to drench the state.

The state “continues to face unrelenting rain and destruction from Tropical Storm Debby,” said Gov. Roy Cooper on Thursday at a National Guard armory in Kinston.

Some 374 guard members were ready to help respond with 131 vehicles, Cooper said.

One death has been reported in North Carolina after a home collapsed in a likely tornado in Wilson County in one of Debby’s storm bands. The overall death toll from Debby stands at seven.

It doesn’t look like North Carolina will suffer as badly as it did in massive floods from Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Florence. The state has helped repair or rebuild 14,000 homes from that pair of billion-dollar disasters, Cooper said.

Residents of a North Carolina neighborhood were asked to evacuate due to the threat of river flooding.

WGHP-TV reports that Alamance County Emergency Management officials had first-responders go door-to-door on Thursday to urge people in about 30 houses along the Haw River to relocate because of the flood threat.

The Haw River is expected to crest just over moderate flood stage in the town of the same name on Friday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. The town of Haw River is about 60 miles (97 kilometers) northwest of Raleigh.

Though no longer a tropical storm, Debby continued lashing the East Coast with heavy rain and flooding as rivers overflow their banks.

The storm moved north from the Carolinas toward the Northeast on Friday, drenching New York and Pennsylvania and causing dangerous flooding. Into the weekend, forecasters say parts of the East Coast can expect heavy downpours, flash flooding and possible tornadoes. Interstate 95 near bigger cities could be affected.

Debby originally made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane on the Gulf Coast of Florida early Monday, but made landfall a second time in South Carolina as a tropical storm early Thursday. At least eight people have died, most in vehicle accidents or from fallen trees.

Heavy rains started pummeling northern Vermont late Friday afternoon, with a flood watch in effect through Saturday morning.

Winds were expected to pick up, and a tornado watch was in effect for some central and southern Vermont areas until 10 p.m.

More than 5,700 customers were without power Friday evening.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a statewide state of emergency Friday and said officials have deployed water rescue teams as Debby’s remnants have caused flooding in multiple parts of the state.

“With the remnants of Debby making its way across New York, I am declaring a statewide State of Emergency, and my administration stands ready to support impacted communities,” Hochul said in a statement.

She also cautioned New Yorkers to “remain vigilant and stay off the roads.”

Thousands of utility customers in the Greater Cleveland area may be without power until late next week, officials said Friday.

Northeastern Ohio was socked Thursday night by storms that dropped more than 5 inches (about 13 centimeters) of rain in some areas over a two-to-four-hour period, causing major flooding and related problems.

That came two days after another series of storms spawned four tornadoes in the Cleveland area, bringing down trees and power lines and causing numerous outages.

Hundreds evacuated from upstate New York hamlet

About 600 people were evacuated from the hamlet of Woodhull in upstate New York, where the rain-swollen creek ran so ferociously that water overtopped the bridge on Main St.

Area resident Stephanie Waters said parts of sheds, branches and uprooted trees were among the debris that slammed into the span.

“Hearing the trees hit the bridge was scary,” she said.

Woodhull Fire Chief Timothy Martin said everybody was safe in the hamlet, but “every business in Woodhull is damaged.”

The battered bridge was closed to traffic.

Flooding severe in north-central Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Director Randy Padfield said a National Guard helicopter with aquatic rescue capability was sent to Tioga County on Friday afternoon because flooding conditions had become severe in the region that runs along the New York state line.

Padfield said Tioga officials have asked for help with eight to 10 rescue locations and there are also multiple boat-based rescues being conducted.

“Right now we’re working on getting a better assessment of what the total impact happens to be up there,” Padfield said. As of about 2:30 p.m. Pennsylvania state officials were not aware of any fatalities.

Water rescues take place in upstate New York

People were trapped by flood waters and water rescues were launched in rural Steuben County in upstate New York, according to the National Weather Service.

The county has declared a state of emergency and told residents to avoid unnecessary travel.

“There are multiple roads that are unpassable and emergency responders are handling dozens of calls,” according to a notice from county emergency officials.

The worse of the flash flooding so far in New York was occurring in villages and hamlets in a largely rural area south of the Finger Lakes, not far from the Pennsylvania border. Canisteo is about 60 miles (about 97 kilometers) due south of the city of Rochester.

Debby dumps heavy rain along Eastern Seaboard

Debby, now downgraded from a tropical storm after briefing attaining hurricane status, has dumped more than a half-foot (15 centimeters) of rain in parts of New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.

The latest preliminary storm totals from the U.S. Weather Prediction Center through Friday morning show that 8.67 inches (22 centimeters) has fallen at a weather station near Pennington, New Jersey. About 7.6 inches (19 centimeters) has fallen at a spot near Afton, Virginia.

Even higher amounts were seen in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

Among Debby’s highest storm totals: a spot near Parrish, Florida, which saw 18.86 inches (48 centimeters) of rain after Debby struck the Sunshine State as a hurricane.

Rain totals in the Carolinas were also very high, with a weather station near Summerville, South Carolina recording 18.25 inches (46 centimeters). A weather station in the small community of Kings Grant, North Carolina, recorded one of that state’s highest rains totals: 15.25 inches (39 centimeters).

Parts of Annapolis under water

In Maryland, parts of downtown Annapolis were under water Friday morning, including some areas on the U.S. Naval Academy campus.

Streets near the city dock often flood during storms and officials distributed sandbags on Thursday so residents and business owners could prepare.

Flash flood and tornado warnings were also issued across the state Friday morning.

High-water rescues performed in single South Carolina county

Emergency crews performed 33 high water rescues in a South Carolina county Friday after up to 9 inches (23 centimeters) of rain fell overnight from the remnants of Debby.

No deaths or serious injuries were reported from the storm, Berkeley County spokesperson Taylor James said.

The flooding in Berkeley County was most serious around Moncks Corner, which was hit by a tornado in one of Debby’s storm bands early Tuesday.

The flooding isolated the Cane Bay subdivision of thousands of houses where officials were asking residents to stay home until the water subsides and roads clear.

Dozens of roads across the area were closed including the eastbound lanes of Interstate 26 about 30 miles (48 kilometers) away from Charleston. Traffic cameras showed standing water across the lanes, which have concrete walls on either side as crews work to widen the highway.

The remnants of Debby were centered more than 300 miles (483 kilometers) north of Berkeley County.

Woman dies after tree falls on her home

A 78-year-old woman in North Carolina died after a tree fell on her home Thursday, raising the death toll from Debby to at least eight.

That is according to Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office.

The woman’s house is in an unincorporated community called Browns Summit, in Rockingham County and northeast of Greensboro.

On Thursday alone, tornadoes spawned by Debby leveled homes, damaged a school and killed one person, as the system dropped heavy rain and flooded communities across the Carolinas.

Flash flooding hits South Carolina town

The town of Moncks Corner, South Carolina, was hit early Friday by flash flooding from the remnants of Debby, with the National Weather Service saying it received reports of up to 3 feet (0.9 meters) of fast-moving water in roadways.

“We have multiple swift water rescue teams responding to flooded areas,” officials in surrounding Berkeley County said on the social platform X, and an emergency shelter was opened at Berkeley Middle School.

The water flooded homes and businesses in Moncks Corner, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) inland from Charleston.

The town earlier in the week was damaged — including businesses battered and vehicles flipped over — after Debby spawned tornadoes.

Dangerous flooding, tornadoes still possible in ‘Debby’s final chapter,’ meteorologist warns

Accuweather’s chief meteorologist Jon Porter said Debby will be remembered for its “very slow movement,” dumping large amounts of rain throughout North Carolina.

Some parts of the state saw 1 to 3 inches (2.5 to 7.6 centimeters) of rain an hour — a rate capable of catastrophic flooding, he said.

And even though the rainfall is ending in some areas, Porter warned people still need to be vigilant about runoff from waterways that could have lingering flooding issues for several days. Heavy rainfall is still expected in northern parts of North Carolina into Thursday night, he said.

Over the next few days, the heaviest rain will be west of the Interstate 95 corridor, especially in more mountainous areas where the terrain forces the storm up in elevation and wrings out its tropical moisture, Porter said. That could lead to flash flooding.

Mid-Atlantic states and parts of New York and New England will also see significant rainfall that could cause dangerous flooding into the weekend, including on parts of I-95 near bigger cities. From eastern Virginia up to Vermont, there may be an active stretch of tornadoes on Friday, he said.

“There will be multiple threats in Debby’s final chapter, and it’s a dangerous one,” he said.

Porter said there’s a “long way to go” for hurricane season, noting the historic peak of the season is in mid-September. He anticipates the next few weeks will be a “more active time period” for major tropical storms to crop up in the Atlantic.

Georgians warned of potential for more flooding

Some residents of Southeast Georgia were warned to brace for additional flooding Thursday even after Debby had cleared out for the Carolinas, as rivers swollen with rainfall overflowed their banks.

The Ogeechee River west of Savannah was forecast to reach its major flood stage Thursday night. The National Weather Service predicted the river would continue to rise before cresting at 19.5 feet (6 meters) early Sunday.

Emergency officials in Effingham County called for residents of two roads near the Ogeechee River to evacuate Thursday. In neighboring Chatham County, which includes Savannah, officials were allowing residents to decide whether to leave.

“Expect water where you have not seen water before,” Chatham County Commission Chairman Chester Ellis told a news conference. He added: “If you have a substantial amount of water in your yards, I would say evacuate now while you still have a chance.”

Chatham County officials said rescue teams with boats had already taken 17 people to safety from homes threatened by river flooding. Ellis estimated more than 250 people live in the area.

Debby downgraded to tropical depression

The National Hurricane Center has downgraded Debby to a tropical depression.

Debby has maximum sustained wind speeds of 35 mph (55 kph), as of the weather service’s latest advisory at around 4:30 p.m. Thursday. That’s just below the threshold to be classified a tropical storm.

Debby originally made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane early Monday on the Gulf Coast of Florida. The slow-moving storm was positioned over North Carolina as of Thursday afternoon.

South Carolina gets through Debby without loss of life or major damage

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said one prayer has been answered in his state with no deaths or major damage from Tropical Storm Debby.

Now he said the state is waiting to see how bad flooding upstream gets.

Debby moved out of South Carolina on Thursday afternoon after dumping rain there for more than three days. But McMaster said the storm’s effects aren’t completely over.

Rain falling in North Carolina could swell rivers and cause flooding downstream in South Carolina in several days. Officials won’t know how bad that river flooding will be until the rains stops upstream in a day.

Debby brought widespread heavy rain to South Carolina. The highest total was nearly 16.6 inches (42 centimeters) in Green Pond in Colleton County.