Latest: 120 roads closed across NC due to flooding from Chantal

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Live updates after Tropical Depression Chantal dropped heavy rain in central North Carolina late Sunday, leaving devastating flooding in its wake, especially in Durham, Chatham, Orange, Moore and Person counties.

What to know

Latest

12:45 p.m.: North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said about 120 roads in the state are closed due to the flooding.

“I urge all North Carolinians to listen to any guidance from local weather and local emergency management officials and be aware of any road warnings and closures before they leave the house,” Stein said.

12:15 p.m.: Part of Lamont Norwood Road north of Pittsboro collapsed. Sky 5 flew over the scene.

In Harnett County, Cape Fear Shiner Park is closed for the rest of Monday and Tuesday. The park is hoping for a Wednesday reopening.

11:15 a.m.: A woman died in floodwaters Sunday night around 11:30 p.m., the State Highway Patrol confirms. Sandra Hirschman, 83, of Pittsboro, died when her car became submerged in water on Farrington Point Road near Hinton Road in Chatham County. According to troopers, her Audi was swept away and found approximately 100 feet off the road.

11 a.m.: Sky 5 is flying over Hyco Lake in Person County, showing extensive flooding and docks underwater. People in the area have reported docks washing away and debris “everywhere.” The lake has turned a muddy brown color. “It’s a real mess,” someone said.

10:15 a.m.: The town of Hillsborough has issued a boil water notice for all customers who get water from the town due to Eno River flooding at the water treatment plant. Residents are urged to boil water for drinking, cooking and brushing teeth until further notice. Residents were also asked to conserve water by not washing clothes or dishes or running water unless necessary.

“The town of Hillsborough will have a limited supply of water until the river recedes and the drinking water can be processed to refill the water tanks,” Hillsborough said in a statement.

9:45 a.m.: Sky 5 flew overhead after an SUV drove into a portion of washed out road on Dogwood Acres Drive in Chapel Hill. It’s one of many washed out roads in the area.

9:30 a.m.: Sky 5 flew over a devastating picture in Durham County, where the flooding and damage is extensive, particularly in areas near the Eno River, including homes and apartments along Rippling Stream Road, where people’s homes flooded to chest level and cars were floating. The areas of High Meadow Road, Omega Road, Felicia Street and Greymont Drive were also impacted.

Sky 5 flew overhead after 9 a.m., offering the first aerial view over the severely flooded areas after the Eno River reached major flood stage, higher than it was during Hurricane Fran.

The Durham Fire Department said 80 people were rescued by boat early Monday morning and overnight.

9 a.m.: Sky 5 flew over Gilmore Road in Chatham County, where a road washed out from flooding in the area. Crews were at the scene Monday, blocking the dangerous stretch of street. A resident said it’s the only road in and out of their neighborhood, which has between 35 and 40 homes.

8:30 a.m.: Sky 5 flew over the Eastgate Crossing shopping center in Chapel Hill. The parking lot was covered in mud, and cars were strewn across the lot, many pushed together by the floodwaters. At least seven stores and restaurants had “severe” damage, with roofs caving in and doors ripped off hinges, according to WRAL News crews at the scene.

7:45 a.m.: High water is blocking several roads in Durham, including portions of Old Oxford Road, Moores Mill Road, Roxboro Road, John Jones Road and Snow Hill Road.

“If you encounter a roadway marked closed by a barricade or cones, remember to #TurnAroundDontDrown and do not drive through the flooded area,” the Durham County Sheriff’s Office wrote. “You never know what hazards might be hidden below a flooded roadway.”

The Northern Wake Fire Department posted a video of severe flooding on Felicia Street in Durham.

7:30 a.m.: Wave Road off of 15-501 has washed out, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, which wrote, “The dirt under the pavement is gone leaving the pavement broken and impassable. Several power poles along with the power lines are also down. The large sections of drain pipe that were running under the road are also blown out and downstream.”

7 a.m.: People are missing in Chatham County, according to Sheriff Mike Roberson, who posted photos of roads littered with storm debris and an Amazon Prime truck with damage to its windshield and roof.

“These are just two examples of flooded or damaged vehicles still in the roadways this morning,” the sheriff wrote. “Just because the water may have subsided in some areas it is still dangerous to travel in some places. Please slow down and use caution until a full assessment can be done today. Crews were overwhelmed last night with rescues and we continue to look for some missing persons this morning.”

According to the sheriff, two people who went kayaking at Jordan Lake on Sunday are still missing, although their kayak was found. Crews are searching Jordan Lake on Monday. Sky 5 flew over the search, which involved multiple boats and rescue units.

6:45 a.m.: Photos show the rushing Eno River in Durham County, which led to dozens of nearby residents being rescued from homes. The relentless rain from Chantal brought on historic flooding of the Eno River, which has risen 22 feet in four hours to record flood levels, beating out river levels from Hurricane Fran in 1996.

6:30 a.m.: The sun is rising, showing the severity of flooding in Durham County at a townhome complex off Rippling Stream Road next to the Eno River, where water was reaching the top of some tires.

The flooding and wind damage was so severe in Chapel Hill that businesses at the Eastgate Crossing shopping center on East Franklin Street had extensive damage. A photo from WRAL News crews at the scene showed the front door of a Talbot’s store ripped off its hinges and parts of the building torn off. The inside of Great Outdoor Provision Co. was trashed, and furniture littered the parking lot around the nearby Shake Shack restaurant. Cleanup efforts will be extensive in the days to come.

6 a.m.: A massive tree fell on Raleigh Road in Chapel Hill between Country Club Road and N. Fordham Blvd.

There are reports of flooding on Felecia Street in Durham and a report of a tree down on powerlines on Bagshot Court in Wake Forest.

5:45 a.m.: In Chatham County, N.C. 87 is impassable where it crosses Terrel Creek, near Chicken Bridge Road, and where it crosses Long Branch, near Castle Rock Farm Road. N.C. 902 near Chatham Central Road has collapsed and is closed.

Chatham County Sheriff Mike Roberson posted on Facebook, “There are over 100 flooded roads and flooding will continue into tonight and tomorrow even after the rain stops. Stay off the roads but if you must go slow and DO NOT drive through water.”

Person County is also dealing with road closures and severe flooding, listing the following trouble spots:

• 1333 block of Gordonton Road
• 1616 block of Newton Pleasant Loop Road
• 2482 Hester’s Store Road
• Robert Hester at Hester’s Store Road
• 4424 Hester’s Store Road (bridge)
• 645 Walnut Grove Church Road
• 2000 block of Wheeler’s Church Road
• 300 block of Gardner Road

5:30 a.m.: In Orange County, Nicks Road at Tom’s Creek is washed out, according to Orange County Emergency Services. Other roads throughout the area remain blocked by trees.

In Pittsboro, East Street near the Pittsboro Police Department is closed due to a large tree blocking the roadway. Sanford Road is closed at George Moses Horton Middle School due to a large tree blocking the roadway. Pittsboro Elementary School Road is closed at the bridge due to flooding.

5 a.m.: Flooding has closed many roads and highways in the Triangle, including part of Interstate 40/Interstate 85 in Orange County at Exit 152 for Trollingwood Road, near the Alamance-Orange line. A spokesperson from the town of Chapel Hill said dozens were forced out of homes and apartments in the areas of Camelot Villlage (130 S. Estes Drive), Airport Gardens (821 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.), 900 Willow Drive, Bolinwood Condominiums (500 Umstead Drive) and the Booker Creek Townhouse Apartments (2525 Booker Creek Road).

4:30 a.m.: Dozens of water rescues are underway in Durham along Rippling Stream Road after the Eno River flooded. People’s homes flooded to chest level and cars floated along Rippling Stream Road. Many told WRAL News they were sleeping and had no idea the water was rising until the fire department beat down their door.

4 a.m.: A voluntary evacuation order remains in effect in Orange County due to the possibility of Lake Michael Dam failure for areas downstream of Lake Michael, including Retriever Lane, Lake Michael Way and Broad Oak Drive. If you are evacuating, the Mebane Arts Center (633 Corregidor St. in Mebane) is open and available for evacuees. Between 6 and 8 inches of rain fell overnight.

Before midnight

• Floodwaters in Chapel Hill caught many off guard Sunday night, including two women who say they found themselves in waist-deep water after leaving a movie. The two women said their cars appeared to be totaled from the flooding. Photos show intense flooding at Eastgate Crossing in Chapel Hill.
• Sanford officials reported seeing tornado damage at the Raleigh Executive Jetport in Sanford. It is unclear how severe the possible tornado was. Another tornado warning touched down in the early evening in Orange County near Mebane.
• According to Mike Anderson, Southern Pines fire chief and assistant town manager, the Longleaf Dam broke and flooded several homes and apartment complexes. Boat crews and swimmers were used to rescue people who were trapped in their cars.
• In Lakeview, the Crains Creek Fire Department said so much rain had accumulated that the dam at Crystal Lake was overflowing and that a breaching of the dam was likely.
• In Cary, police said a storm drain became blocked which caused rainwater to pond on the road on the U.S. Highway 1 ramp off of Tryon Road, which caused a car to get trapped. The ramp has since reopened.
• Moore County Public Utilities told customers in Pinehurst that the village is experiencing low water pressure levels because water mains were washed out by the flooding. Customers are advised to boil their water until they get water pressure back to normal levels.

Turn around, don’t drown

Flood waters can rise quickly and be deadly.

Do not enter any moving water – on foot or in a vehicle. Just a few inches of fast-moving flood water can knock you off of your feet. Two feet of water will float most cars and wash them away. Most flood deaths occur in automobiles. When approaching water flowing over the road, turn around and go the other way. Don’t drown; turn around.