North Carolina Emergency Management explains next steps in Chantal recovery efforts

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – North Carolina Governor Josh Stein declared a state of emergency on Thursday, nearly two weeks after Tropical Storm Chantal devastated the region with severe rain and flash flooding. With recovery efforts underway, state agencies are now working to assess the damage.

“We did see 5-8 inches of rainfall in some communities, we saw upwards of 10 inches of rainfall depending on the location,” said Justin Graney, the chief of external affairs and public information with North Carolina Emergency Management. “With that type of rainfall amount, we saw flash flooding, damaged infrastructure like wastewater treatment plants and water treatment plants. We saw damage to roadways and, unfortunately, had to deploy several swift water rescue teams to assist locals during that response phase.” 

The Haw River, the Eno River and Jordan Lake also experienced record or near-record water levels.

Some areas like the Town of Chapel Hill already reporting millions of dollars in damage.

“Right now, damage assessments are taking place and the results of those determine the next steps,” Graney said. 

He says there are some challenges with putting together their report.

“Of course, we keep having thunderstorms every day, and we’re seeing flash flooding that continues to occur in areas,” Graney said. “For example, Burlington continues to have flash flooding with some of these thunderstorms that are popping up in the afternoon, which does slow some of that damage assessment process.”

Graney told CBS 17 that the assessment will also help with acquiring state and federal funding.

“That informs the decisions of which programs are turned on based on thresholds that are prescribed in law, and then whether or not we meet the thresholds for a federally declared disaster, and then the governor would make that decision,” he said.

The state has a number of resources that can help those affected by the storm. Click here to find more information.