Raleigh North Carolina News

The trillions of gallons of water dumped by Hurricane Florence continue to slowly meander their way to the sea, leaving billions of dollars of damage in their wake. The crisis is slowly moving to South Carolina, where there was enough warning and certainty about where the water was going that hundreds of people loaded furniture from their homes into trucks and flatbeds to take to higher ground. Officials downstream sounded dire alarms, pointing out the…

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Proudly proclaiming herself a Duplin County girl, Debbie Holt decided to do what she does best to help her hurricane-ravaged hometown. “It breaks my heart. It just breaks my heart … these are good people,” Holt said. “When you grow up somewhere and you see that devastation with the water, you cannot believe it till you see it.” Holt was working the kitchen at her Clyde Cooper’s BBQ Restaurant on Tuesday…

By Candace Sweat, WRAL reporter Goldsboro, N.C. — Wayne County residents face a long road to recovery as parts of Goldsboro are still practically cut off from the rest of the state by floodwaters. Goldsboro on Thursday was feeling the impact of Hurricane Florence with bumper to bumper traffic on N.C. Highway 117 and a cemetery that was completely underwater. Elmwood Cemetery is position in such a way that heavy rain can easily cause flooding….

The Latest on Florence (all times local): 9 p.m. The new owner of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers has announced an initial package to aid Hurricane Florence disaster relief efforts in North and South Carolina. Owner David Tepper and Panthers Charities announced the donations in a news release Thursday. The package includes a $1 million donation to the American Red Cross, $450,000 to regional food banks through 25,000 emergency food packs, as well as aid to…

By Ken Smith, WRAL anchor/reporter It’s been one year since Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and many areas still struggling said they challenges people faced have help them grow as a community. One year ago, Hurricane Maria changed Puerto Rico and changed lives on the island. “Some people are doing the best they can,” Puerto Rico native Jorge Santana said. The storm was the second of a one-two punch for the…

A storm brewing in the Atlantic Ocean has a 20 percent chance of becoming another tropical storm in the next five days, according to the National Weather Service. But it is not fair to call it the remnants of Hurricane Florence, an official with the National Hurricane Center said Thursday night. That’s despite what the National Weather Service’s office in Charleston tweeted earlier. If the storm does form into a tropical storm, it would get…

By Christi Lowe, WRAL contributor Linden, N.C. — In Cumberland County, residents returned home Thursday to survey the damage left behind after floodwaters finally began to recede. Walter and Nancy Hair drove down the bumpy, flooded toad to see what was left of their mobile home, perched just 150 feet from the banks of the Little River. “My floor is all soggy. My walls are bowing already,” Walter Hair said. “This is the worst I’ve…

Gov. Roy Cooper called Thursday for state lawmakers to return to Raleigh for a special session to fund initial recovery needs from Hurricane Florence. “As I’ve traveled around the state surveying damage and meeting with people who have lost everything, it’s clear that the destruction in eastern North Carolina is historic,” Cooper said in a statement Thursday night. “Now is the time to come together and begin the work of rebuilding our communities and making…

KINSTON, N.C. (WTVD) — People are coming out to watch the Neuse river rise as it threatens to flood more homes and neighbors through the weekend. MORE: Full coverage of Hurricane Florence The Neuse River is taking over parts of Lenoir County, with water rushing onto streets and blocking major highways On Thursday afternoon, vehicles splashed their way through Highway 70 until crews shut down the roadway. People living near the flood zone are on…

PENDER COUNTY, NC — Two horses were rescued seemingly at the last minute when volunteers found them neck deep in floodwaters in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence. Rescue organization Guardians of Rescue said the horses were “tired, scared, confused” and had “not much left in them” when volunteers found them in Pender County, North Carolina. “One kept going under…the other would let out a cry to get his attention,” Guardians of Rescue wrote on Facebook….

RALEIGH-DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — From the coast to the Piedmont, Hurricane Florence landed a historic and devastating blow to North Carolina. The rescue and recovery efforts started immediately, but it’s a long road ahead for many families across the Carolinas and more. ABC11 Together with the American Red Cross, ABC11’s corporate parent The Walt Disney Company, and the ABC Owned Television Group have raised more than $1 million in donations this week to help. The…

Harnett County, N.C. — Water levels are dropping in Harnett County, but on Thursday, there was still a lot of water covering roads, farms and businesses. At the height of the flooding caused by Hurricane Florence, Pat Flowers needed a boat to visit his home on Shady Grove Road. Water from the Little River had gotten into his home. “You just break down and cry. It is hard,” he said. “I have seen it, and…

TOPSAIL BEACH, N.C. (WTVD) — Residents of North Topsail Beach were allowed back home after Hurricane Florence ripped through the coast last week. The beaches were empty, but it was clear the monster storm had done its damage. The shoreline had missing dunes and the pier was missing planks. The roads, now scooped, were covered with sand and electrical workers have been working to restore power. On Thursday morning, Kevin Campbell found his home with…

The Carolina Panthers and team owner David Tepper announced on Thursday an initial relief package intended to help victims of Hurricane Florence. Tepper indicated last week that he and the team were engaging with local and state officials, as well charities in both Carolinas “to develop a plan to best assess the needs of the region and ensure we can effectively deploy resources to those most impacted.” Over the years, Tepper has had a great…

S.C. motorists and truckers got a brief, detour-less window with a clear shot through the state’s flood-ravaged Pee Dee region Wednesday, as flooding from Florence subsided, only to worsen. The S.C. Department of Transportation Thursday closed a roughly 18-mile stretch of Interstate 95 in both directions from U.S. 52 to S.C. 38 “due to the imminent threat of flooding at the Great Pee Dee River.” I-95 also was closed to all northbound traffic south of…