North Carolina Is Underwater After Hurricane Matthew

North Carolina Is Underwater After Hurricane Matthew

The United States may have avoided the brunt of Hurricane Matthew’s deadly rain and wind storms, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Southeast coast from receiving severe damage. After Hurricane Matthew rolled through the Caribbean and killed nearly 900 people in Haiti, the storm continued along the US Southeastern coast, pummelling states like Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina all weekend.

Image: AP

At least 19 people have been killed in the US by the hurricane across four Southeast states according to authorities. At least eight people were killed in North Carolina; three people were killed in Georgia; six people were killed in Florida; and at least two people were killed in South Carolina.

Local residents may have underestimated the severity of Hurricane Matthew, because it was downgraded to a Category 3 just before hitting landfall in Florida on Friday. It was again downgraded to a Category 1 when it hit South Carolina on Sunday. Regardless of its categorisation, Hurricane Matthew still wreaked havoc in the areas it touched. “What those categories don’t include is how water can kill,” said North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory in an interview with the New York Times.

In North Carolina — the state to receive the worst parts of the storm in the US — more than 1000 people had to be rescued on Sunday, and more than 3000 people were moved to shelters. Nearly 770,000 people across North Carolina were left without power. The storm has left more than two million businesses and homes without power along the Southeastern coast.

There was special concern surrounding the dangerous storm surge and tide created by the rising waters moving inland from the shore as Hurricane Matthew approached landfall this weekend. Flooding in the region left more than one million people without power in Florida by late Friday local time, and it continued up the coast over the weekend. Heavy rains led to record-breaking flooding in North Carolina, where the Neuse River reached 9.42m, surpassing the record of 8.81m caused by Hurricane Floyd in 1999.

The situation was much worse in the Caribbean. The United Nations estimates that 350,000 Haitians need immediate assistance, and UN special representative for Haiti Mourad Wahba says more than 10,000 Haitians are in shelters and hospitals that are overflowing. To make matters worse, only nine of Haiti’s 15 main hospitals were operating.

Now, as Hurricane Matthew finally disembarks from its path along the Southeastern seaboard, first responders and others are venturing into areas impacted by the storm. They will be greeted roads completely flooded in some parts of the region. This will likely complicate matters as many areas impacted by the storm are parts of lower-populated areas.


North Carolina Is Underwater After Hurricane Matthew
Kyle Simmons wades through water to check on the home of his grandmother following Hurricane Matthew in Edisto Island, S.C., Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. A deteriorating Matthew was stripped of hurricane status Sunday morning and began making its slow exit to the sea. (Image: AP)

Kyle Simmons wades through water to check on the home of his grandmother following Hurricane Matthew in Edisto Island, S.C., Sunday, 9 October 2016. A deteriorating Matthew was stripped of hurricane status Sunday morning and began making its slow exit to the sea. (Image: AP)

North Carolina Is Underwater After Hurricane Matthew
A house is demolished along Palmetto Blvd, in the Town of Edisto Beach, after Hurricane Matthew slammed into the beach community Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016.(Image: AP)

A house is demolished along Palmetto Blvd, in the Town of Edisto Beach, after Hurricane Matthew slammed into the beach community Saturday, 8 October 2016.(Image: AP)

North Carolina Is Underwater After Hurricane Matthew
Boats sit washed up on shore amongst the twisted docks at Palmetto Bay Marina damaged by Hurricane Matthew in Hilton Head, S.C., Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016 (Image: AP)

Boats sit washed up on shore amongst the twisted docks at Palmetto Bay Marina damaged by Hurricane Matthew in Hilton Head, S.C., Sunday, 9 October 2016 (Image: AP)

North Carolina Is Underwater After Hurricane Matthew
Boats sit pushed up amongst the twisted docks at Palmetto Bay Marina damaged by Hurricane Matthew in Hilton Head, S.C., Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. (Image: AP)

Boats sit pushed up amongst the twisted docks at Palmetto Bay Marina damaged by Hurricane Matthew in Hilton Head, S.C., Sunday, 9 October 2016. (Image: AP)

North Carolina Is Underwater After Hurricane Matthew
A church sits surrounded by water from Hurricane Matthew in Hollywood, S.C., Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. (Image: AP)

A church sits surrounded by water from Hurricane Matthew in Hollywood, S.C., Sunday, 9 October 2016. (Image: AP)

North Carolina Is Underwater After Hurricane Matthew
Workers block a road damaged by floodwaters caused by rain from Hurricane Matthew in Fayetteville, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. Hurricane Matthew’s torrential rains triggered severe flooding in North Carolina on Sunday as the deteriorating storm made its exit to the sea, and thousands of people had to be rescued from their homes and cars. (Image: AP)

Workers block a road damaged by floodwaters caused by rain from Hurricane Matthew in Fayetteville, N.C., Sunday, 9 October 2016. Hurricane Matthew’s torrential rains triggered severe flooding in North Carolina on Sunday as the deteriorating storm made its exit to the sea, and thousands of people had to be rescued from their homes and cars. (Image: AP)

North Carolina Is Underwater After Hurricane Matthew
H.V. Bailey looks at damage to a neighbour’s home at Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, after Hurricane Matthew passed through Friday. (Image: AP)

H.V. Bailey looks at damage to a neighbour’s home at Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Saturday, 8 October 2016, after Hurricane Matthew passed through Friday. (Image: AP)

North Carolina Is Underwater After Hurricane Matthew
Nick Lomasney walks through heavy wind and a flooded street as Hurricane Matthew passes through the area on October 7, 2016 in St Augustine, Florida. Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina all declared a state of emergency in preparation of Hurricane Matthew. (Image: Getty)

Nick Lomasney walks through heavy wind and a flooded street as Hurricane Matthew passes through the area on 7 October 2016 in St Augustine, Florida. Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina all declared a state of emergency in preparation of Hurricane Matthew. (Image: Getty)

North Carolina Is Underwater After Hurricane Matthew
Commuters make their way through heavy rain in Jacksonville, Florida, on October 6, 2016, ahead of hurricane Matthew. Some three million people on the US southeast coast faced urgent evacuation Thursday as monstrous Hurricane Matthew — now blamed for more than 100 deaths in Haiti alone — bore down for a direct hit on Florida. (Image: Getty)

Commuters make their way through heavy rain in Jacksonville, Florida, on 6 October 2016, ahead of hurricane Matthew. Some three million people on the US southeast coast faced urgent evacuation Thursday as monstrous Hurricane Matthew — now blamed for more than 100 deaths in Haiti alone — bore down for a direct hit on Florida. (Image: Getty)

North Carolina Is Underwater After Hurricane Matthew
A downed tree from high winds rests against a car in a residential community after Hurricane Matthew passes through on October 7, 2016 in Ormond Beach, Florida. Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina have all declared a state of emergency in preparation for Hurricane Matthew. (Image: Getty)

A downed tree from high winds rests against a car in a residential community after Hurricane Matthew passes through on 7 October 2016 in Ormond Beach, Florida. Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina have all declared a state of emergency in preparation for Hurricane Matthew. (Image: Getty)

North Carolina Is Underwater After Hurricane Matthew
Nick Lomasney walks through heavy wind and a flooded street as Hurricane Matthew passes through the area on October 7, 2016 in St Augustine, Florida. Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina all declared a state of emergency in preparation of Hurricane Matthew. (Image: Getty)

Nick Lomasney walks through heavy wind and a flooded street as Hurricane Matthew passes through the area on 7 October 2016 in St Augustine, Florida. Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina all declared a state of emergency in preparation of Hurricane Matthew. (Image: Getty)

North Carolina Is Underwater After Hurricane Matthew
Metal lies on the ground at a gas station damaged by the heavy winds of Hurricane Matthew, October 7, 2016 on Port Orange, Florida. Hurricane Matthew passed by offshore as a catagory 3 hurricane bringing heavy winds and minor flooding. (Image: Getty)

Metal lies on the ground at a petrol station damaged by the heavy winds of Hurricane Matthew, 7 October 2016 on Port Orange, Florida. Hurricane Matthew passed by offshore as a category 3 hurricane bringing heavy winds and minor flooding. (Image: Getty)

North Carolina Is Underwater After Hurricane Matthew
High winds stir up a flooded street as Hurricane Matthew passes through the area on October 7, 2016 in St Augustine, Florida. Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina have all declared a state of emergency in preparation for Hurricane Matthew. (Image: Getty)

High winds stir up a flooded street as Hurricane Matthew passes through the area on 7 October 2016 in St Augustine, Florida. Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina have all declared a state of emergency in preparation for Hurricane Matthew. (Image: Getty)

North Carolina Is Underwater After Hurricane Matthew
Cindy Stayvely looks at some of the damage in the Colonial Quarter after Hurricane Matthew passed through the area on October 8, 2016 in St Augustine, Florida. Across the Southeast, cver 1.4 million people have lost power due to Hurricane Matthew which has been downgraded to a category 1 hurricane on Saturday morning. (Image: Getty)

Cindy Stayvely looks at some of the damage in the Colonial Quarter after Hurricane Matthew passed through the area on 8 October 2016 in St Augustine, Florida. Across the Southeast, cver 1.4 million people have lost power due to Hurricane Matthew which has been downgraded to a category 1 hurricane on Saturday morning. (Image: Getty)

North Carolina Is Underwater After Hurricane Matthew
Local tour guide Larry Gerald live streams himself on social media as he crosses flooded S. Market Street at East Bay St. in the wake of Hurricane Matthew on October 8, 2016 in Charleston, South Carolina. Across the Southeast, Over 1.4 million people have lost power due to Hurricane Matthew which has been downgraded to a category 1 hurricane on Saturday morning. (Image: Getty)

Local tour guide Larry Gerald live streams himself on social media as he crosses flooded S. Market Street at East Bay St. in the wake of Hurricane Matthew on 8 October 2016 in Charleston, South Carolina. Across the Southeast, Over 1.4 million people have lost power due to Hurricane Matthew which has been downgraded to a category 1 hurricane on Saturday morning. (Image: Getty)


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