Hurricane brings flooding, evacuations to Orange County

Oct. 08--CHAPEL HILL -- The Chapel Hill Fire Department evacuated about a dozen residents from floodprone areas Saturday afternoon as Hurricane Matthew continued to drench the Triangle.

Orange County officials reported up to five inches of rain fell across the area by Saturday evening.

The residents were evacuated from the South Estes public housing community, Brookwood Condominiums and Camelot Village, Chapel Hill officials reported. An emergency shelter was open at Smith Middle School, 9201 Seawell School Road, for residents with flooding or without power, officials reported.

Those heading for the shelter should bring photo identification, regular medications, insurance information, bedding, towels, comfortable clothing, toiletries and specialty items, such as contact lenses and items to meet special dietary needs. Residents can get emergency transportation assistance by calling 911.

No injuries have been reported.

Chapel Hill Public Works crews spent the day erecting barricades in flooded areas, setting up generators at traffic lights without power and removing fallen trees from roadways and clearing debris from drainage areas.

Duke Energy and Piedmont Electric Membership Corp. reported more than 9,000 customers without power across Orange County, as creeks crested their banks. Hillsborough emergency officials reported rescuing one person from the Riverwalk area at Nash and Kollock streets late Saturday afternoon.

Another water rescue was reported around 5 p.m. at Camelot Village on South Estes Drive in Chapel Hill.

University Place, where the parking lot sits in a floodprone area across Estes Drive from Camelot Village, closed most of its stores early. Carrboro Plaza on N.C. 54 was without power.

Hillsborough officials closed Riverwalk and nearby Gold Park. They also reported Eno Street was closed in the same area from West Hill Avenue to Murray Street, and West Union Street was closed between North Hassel and North Occoneechee streets.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office reported several roads blocked, including Pleasant Green Road, where a tree was across power lines and on fire.

Bolin Creek in Chapel Hill swallowed sections of adjacent streets near Fordham Boulevard and Estes Drive; on Estes Drive near the Chapel Hill Public Library; and on Umstead Drive near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, officials reported. All three areas are historically prone to flooding in heavy rain.

Cleland Drive and Chapel Hill Country Club's golf course also were reported under water.

A fallen tree blocked East Rosemary Street near downtown from Henderson to Hillsborough streets. Trees were down across the county.

Police returned power to traffic lights on MLK Jr. Boulevard in Chapel Hill around 6 p.m. Traffic lights remained out of order on N.C. 54 at Old Fayetteville Road and on Smith Level Road in Carrboro.

A swollen University Lake in Carrboro also closed Jones Ferry Road between Old Fayetteville and Old Greensboro roads. Carrboro police reported trees and flooding had closed Hanna Street and the lower entrance to Willow Creek shopping center.

A flash flood warning was in effect until 10:30 p.m. Saturday. Town and emergency officials advised residents to stay off the roads and report any downed power lines or dangerous flooding to 911.

"Already high water in areas could continue to rise for up to 12 hours even after rain subsides," said Barry McLamb, Chapel Hill's emergency preparedness coordinator. "Stay at home and off the streets unless you need to get out; there are dangerous conditions throughout the community."

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