Hickory Mayor Rudy Wright declared a state of emergency, telling residents to stay indoors and away from flooded roads and washed-out bridges.
“This is a time for all of us to be very careful and patient,” Wright said. “The cleanup is going to take a while.”
Heavy rain pushed into the Charlotte area early Saturday afternoon, when a nearly stationary weather system dumped more than 12 inches of rain in some parts of Catawba, western Lincoln and northern Cleveland counties.
Some 50 to 60 roads were closed in Catawba County, and at least six were expected to remain closed for at least three months, the Hickory Daily Record reported.
The heavy rain sent large volumes of water into streams and creeks that feed into the Catawba River. High Shoals Lake in Catawba County was a foot above full level Saturday evening, and the water level rose nearly 5 feet between 4 a.m. and 2 p.m.
ZandarDad says he and ZandarMom are fine, but things are pretty bad in low-lying areas, including one of the streets I used to live on being completely washed out. He hasn't seen anything this bad since Hurricane Hugo came inland and drew a line from Charleston to Charlotte to Hickory back in '89. It could be months before some roads are open again, and bridges have been pretty badly damaged along the Catawba River and Lake Hickory. States of emergency have been declared, and I hope the federal government comes through.
If you're back in my old neck of the woods, guys, keep safe.
There's always a pang that goes along with one's hometown suffering. Some time ago my old neighborhood in Newport News (during hurricane Isabel) was flooded, and I felt the same way.
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