Gov. Roy Cooper visited Southport today to address the damage following potential tropical cyclone number 8 (PTC 8).
The governor joined first responders for a press conference at the Southport Fire Department. In his remarks, he outlined North Carolina's plan for recovering from the storm, which stranded thousands of people earlier this week.
"We're gonna have to continue to, as we rebuild, make sure that we are investing in more resilient recovery," he said. "And make sure that we are more ready for the next storm."
Col. Freddy Johnson of the North Carolina Highway Patrol shared details during the press conference about the first confirmed fatality from PTC 8: Richard Walton Robinson, an 80-year-old man from St. James. Robinson allegedly drove past police vehicles blocking a road in Supply. He was swept away in the floodwaters.
"The water was actually described as 'whitecapping'," said Johnson. "That's how strong the current was."
William Ray, who serves as director of emergency management in North Carolina, said during his remarks that the state had been monitoring the storm since Friday of last week. Initial reports from the National Weather Service and other organizations forecasted much less rain.
"When you have predictions for five to eight inches, and you end up with 20 plus in some areas, that can cause real, significant problems," said Gov. Cooper. "In one of the areas with the amount of rainfall we got so fast, it was described as a one in 1000 year event."
Prior to the press conference, Cooper took an aerial tour of Brunswick County to survey the impacts of the storm. The governor confirmed 22 damage sites on the county's roads, with a crew of at least 100 people from across the state working to fix the roads. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, there are still 60 roads closed across about a dozen North Carolina counties, with most of them located in Brunswick County.
"We got in the plane and rode over and saw some of the damage today: a number of damaged homes, flooded highways," he said. "We even went up to Carolina Beach and saw some of the damage there."
There's no word yet on the timeline for repairs, nor on the projected cost. Gov. Cooper said Southport would make use of state funding and plans to ask for federal reimbursement as well. In the meantime, he's asking Southport residents and visitors to continue staying off the roads unless absolutely necessary and to keep each other safe.
"We ask people to check on your neighbors," he said, "and to make sure you call if people have problems."
If you need assistance, call Brunswick County Emergency Management at 910-253-5383. If you're experiencing an emergency, dial 9-1-1.
