OCTOBER 19 - 25, 2016 UCW 9
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM
NEWS
Recovery from Hurricane Matthew in
Cumberland County will take months, even
years for some. The record rainfall of 24 inches
over two days was unprecedented and totally
unexpected even by the National Weather
Service. It resulted in urban flooding directly
attributed to the storm as well as utility issues
caused by downed power lines and uprooted
trees. Hundreds of homes were heavily damaged,
some beyond repair. PWC crews worked well into
last week restoring electricity across Fayetteville.
Even the water treatment plant lost power. The
state had to test the water once the plant was up
and running. And, as is the case in almost every
facet of state operations, it took days for test
results to come up negative as to contamination.
The statistics are record setting: 15 inches
of rain in one day. More than 700 people saved
during 255 high water rescues by late Sunday of
last week. No serious injuries or fatalities were
directly attributed to the storm. Property losses
are staggering. Some estimates place the total
monetary loss of homes and businesses across
Cumberland County in 10 figures. And it wasn't
just in Fayetteville. Hope Mills and Spring Lake
were also hit hard. Just about everyone agrees,
the record-setting storms, which began on Oct. 4
and continued Oct. 8 and 9, were unprecedented
in modern memory.
Hurricane Matthew: the Aftermath
by JEFF THOMPSON
JEFF THOMPSON, Senior News Reporter.
COMMENTS? news@upandcomingweekly.
com. 910.484.6200.
