Tropical Depression Chantal has caused severe flooding across central North Carolina, affecting Durham, Chatham, Orange, Moore, and Person Counties. In Carrboro, the Public Works Facility was submerged under 3.5 feet of water, leading to its destruction. Public Works Director Kevin Belanger stated that the facility had never experienced such severe flooding before. The town had to move vehicles out of the facility, but some equipment was left behind for safety reasons.
Governor Josh Stein reported about 120 road closures due to the flooding, urging residents to heed local weather and emergency management guidance. The Eno River reached record flood levels, prompting numerous rescues and causing extensive damage. In Durham, the river crested at 25.63 feet, surpassing previous records. The flooding led to more than 80 rescues by the Durham Fire Department.
Tragically, an 83-year-old woman died in Chatham County when her car was swept away by floodwaters. In addition, two boaters remain missing after their canoe was found unoccupied on Jordan Lake. The storm also caused significant power outages, with 400 outages affecting 18,000 customers, according to Dominion Energy.
Cleanup efforts are underway as communities deal with the aftermath of the severe flooding. Local officials have declared states of emergency in several counties, and the focus is on assessing damage and reopening roads as soon as it is safe to do so.