Burgaw Mayor to speak with Western North Carolina officials about flooding

WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, NC (WWAY) — Four months after Hurricane Helene, a mayor from the Cape Fear is in western North Carolina to speak with leaders there who are trying to rebuild their flood-ravaged towns and communities.

Burgaw Mayor Olivia Dawson will speak Thursday night to other mayors and local officials about her experience dealing with recent flooding in eastern North Carolina.

Dawson is part of the National Member Advisory Board for the American Flood Coalition.

She’ll be specifically sharing about recovery in Burgaw in the aftermath of Hurricanes Matthew and Florence.

Dawson said the damage in the western part of the state resembles the damage people in her town and Pender County encountered.

“It was devastating, it really touches on, you can relate because you’ve had similar incidents in our, in our area in Eastern North Carolina,” Dawson said. “But also to the degree or the devastation that they had is also very painful to see.”

Dawson also said this was her first visit to the western part of the state in more than a year.