WE
WE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW BREAKING NEWS RIGHT HERE ON THE MACHINES .
WE ARE TRACKING SEVERE WEATHER
ALL ACROSS THE GREATER
CHARLOTTE AREA.
>> WE ARE WATCHING IT UNFOLD
OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW
HOURS.
YOU TWO HAVE PROBABLY BEEN
JOINING US WATCHING THIS IN
DISBELIEF IN SOME SORTS.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
THIS IS THE SCENE CORBY
COMMUNITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
ONE HUNDRED FORTY THREE
STUDENTS STAFF HAD TO BE
EVACUATED.
YOU SEE THAT CAR WITH THE
WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON AT THIS
POINT NOT GOING TO DO A LOT OF
GOOD CONSIDERING THE AMOUNT OF
RAIN WE'VE GOOD CONSIDERING THE
AMOUNT OF RAIN WE'VE SEEN OVER
THE LAST FEW HOURS.
MORE THAN 20 PEOPLE ALSO
RESCUED FROM A CAMPING GROUND
UP IN ALEXANDER COUNTY.
WE HAVE CREWS ON THE SCENE
RIGHT NOW WITH THE LATEST.
>> OUR FIRST WORD DOPPLER RADAR
WHAT IT'S LIGHTING UP RIGHT NOW
WE'RE SEEING UP TO SIX INCHES
OF RAIN IN SOME AREAS WITH
WIDESPREAD FLOODING ALL MORNING
LONG AND CONTINUING THIS
AFTERNOON.
WE WANT TO SHOW YOU SOME VIDEO
OF HIGHLAND CREEK.
THIS IS IN NORTHEAST CHARLOTTE.
OK, THIS IS SOMEONE'S BACKYARD.
A VIEWER SENT US THIS VIDEO
SHOWING JUST HOW MUCH WATER
SHE'S SEEING AND IT'S REALLY
JUST INCHES AWAY FROM GETTING
INTO THAT BACKYARD THERE.
>> MEANWHILE, JUST SOME
INCREDIBLE FOOTAGE COMING OUT
OF CATTOLICA COUNTY.
THAT'S WHERE WE REALLY SAW A
LOT OF IT EARLY ON AND SPEAKING
TO HIGHWAY PATROL IN THE LAST
HALF HOUR, WE KNOW THAT'S STILL
A BIG CONCERN.
THAT AREA UNDER A STATE OF
EMERGENCY RIGHT NOW.
YOU SEE WHY ON YOUR SCREEN
MAJOR FLOODING THIS THIS IS NOT
A RIVER.
THIS IS HIGHWAY 16.
TRAFFIC STOPPED FOR HOURS THIS
MORNING.
THANKS FOR STAYING WITH US HERE
FOR THE NEWS AT NOON.
I'M BEN THOMPSON AND I'M
CAROLYN BRUCKE.
>> REALLY UNBELIEVABLE WEATHER
OUT THERE.
WE HAVE CREWS SPREAD OUT ALL
ACROSS THE AREA TO BRING
YOU THE LATEST ON THE FLOODING
AND THE WATER RESCUES HAPPENING
RIGHT NOW.
BUT FIRST WE WANT TO GET TO
LARRY SPRINKEL AND LARRY, THIS
THESE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
DANGEROUS.
THOSE ARE DRAMATIC PICTURES OF
THE PARKING LOT WITH THE CARS
WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON TURN
AROUND DON'T DROWN.
>> IT'S MORE APPLICABLE TODAY
THAN EVER AS FAR AS THE
GEOGRAPHY OF ALL THIS GOING ON,
GEOGRAPHICAL.
I DON'T THINK I'VE SEEN THIS
MUCH WIDESPREAD.
I MEAN YOU GOT TO GO BACK TO
SOME BIG HURRICANES TO FIND
THIS MANY WARNINGS IN THIS MUCH
RAIN.
ONE TIME COVERING SUCH A
GIGANTIC AREA OF THE TWO STATE
REGIONS.
WE CAN ZOOM IN AND SHOW SOME
HEAVY RAIN.
SO TRACKING FROM PAGE ONE ALL
THE WAY TOWARDS MAYBE
BENNETTSVILLE HAMLETT UP TO
PINEHURST, ASHEBORO ALL THE WAY
AS YOU HEAD OVER TOWARDS THE
COASTAL PLAIN OF NORTH CAROLINA
.
>> MORE HEAVY RAINFALL FLOODING
CONDITIONS WIDESPREAD.
I MAY COVERS IT COVERS ALMOST
THE ENTIRE AREA.
WE'VE HAD WARNINGS THAT EVERY
SINGLE COUNTY IN OUR VIEWING
AREA ALL MORNING LONG AND SOME
OF THE ESTIMATED RAINFALL
TOTALS HICKORY OVER FIVE
INCHES, RAIN ALMOST FIVE THERE
A NUDE OVER IN CHARLOTTE FOUR
POINT THIRTY SEVEN INCHES.
SHELBY THREE AND A THIRD ALMOST
TWO INCHES AT T.J. K, BELMONT
TWO AND OVER TWO AND A HALF
INCHES IN BOONE ALMOST ALMOST
TWO INCHES OF RAINFALL THERE IN
THE HIGH COUNTRY SHOWED THIS A
MINUTE AGO THAT AS FAR AS
RAINFALL TOTALS MORE RAIN ON
THE WAY EAST OF HERE AS YOU CAN
SEE TOWARDS SHORE WILL OVER AN
INCH INCH AND A HALF A ROCKING
HIM.
THEN YOU GO TO THE OVER EAST OF
THERE THEY COULD GET ANOTHER
FOUR TO FIVE INCHES OF RAIN ALL
THE WAY TOWARDS THE CAROLINA
COASTLINE.
SO HERE'S THE WAY IT LOOKS AS
FAR AS TEMPERATURES IT'S MILD
OUT THERE.
SIXTY NINE A GAS DONIA 60 70.
CHARLOTTE IT'S 73 AT SCHRAUB
THERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
RAIN ENDS AND I WOULD SAY ABOUT
3:00 THIS AFTERNOON JUST CLOUDY
SKIES WITH THE MILD WEATHER
STAYS IN PLACE RIGHT THROUGH
MIDNIGHT.
THERE'S NO RAIN TOMORROW IN THE
WEEKEND.
BEYOND THAT, WE DO HAVE SOME
BIG CHANGES AND WE WILL LOOK AT
THE VERY LATEST ON TROPICS FROM
ADA.
HOW COULD IT HAVE ANY EFFECT ON
THE CAROLINAS COMING UP IN JUST
A FEW MINUTES.
>> THANK GOODNESS THERE'S NO
RAIN TOMORROW.
I DON'T THINK WE'D BE ABLE TO
HANDLE THAT, LARRY.
THANKS.
BACK TO THAT BREAKING NEWS WE
WANT TO GET TO YOU .
MORE THAN 140 STUDENTS RESCUED
AFTER FLOODING.
SO THIS WAS A PARKING LOT AT
CORVIN COMMUNITY ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL.
IT'S ON DAVID TAYLOR DRIVE
RIGHT NEAR MALAD CREEK AND
YOU CAN SEE THE FLOODWATER
BASICALLY SWALLOWED THE CARS
THERE IN THE PARKING LOT.
W.S. AND CHARLOTTE
PHOTOJOURNALIST'S MY KANZEN ON
THE SCENE RIGHT NOW.
SO MIKE, THE GOOD NEWS HERE IS
YES, THOSE CARS SEEM TO BE
EXTREMELY DAMAGED WITH WATER
BUT NO REPORTS OF INJURIES AT
THIS POINT.
THAT'S RIGHT, CAROL.
A VERY DANGEROUS SCENE HERE
THIS MORNING BUT THANKFULLY NO
INJURIES.
BUT I WONDER WHAT I WANT TO DO
RIGHT NOW IS GIVE YOU A CLOSER
LOOK AT THE EXTENT OF THE
FLOODING.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT DOZENS OF
CARS SUBMERGED AND THIS IS
CORVEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, A
CHARTER SCHOOL NEAR HARRIS IN
85 AND ACCORDING TO THE
CHARLOTTE FIRE DEPARTMENT,
FLOODWATERS FROM NEARBY MALIBU
CREEK RUSHED INTO THE SCHOOL
AND THAT'S WHEN NINE ONE ONE
WAS CALLED.
NEARLY 100 50 CHILDREN RESCUED.
FIREFIGHTERS HAD TO WALK THE
CHILDREN THROUGH THE NEARBY
WOODS TO KEEP THEM SAFE AND
THANKFULLY THERE ARE NO
INJURIES.
THE CHILDREN ARE NOW SAFE WITH
THEIR PARENTS OR LOVED ONES.
AND JUST WHAT A POWERFUL
REMINDER OF JUST HOW DANGEROUS
THESE FLOODWATERS CAN BE.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE LEARNING TO
LEARN.
WE'RE WORKING TO LEARN THE
EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE TO THE
SCHOOL AND HEAR FROM OFFICIALS
ON WHY THEY CHOSE TO HAVE
SCHOOL TODAY IN THIS AGE OF
REMOTE LEARNING.
SO THAT'S THE LATEST HERE.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE
SCENE.
REPORTING LIVE FROM PARIS AND
EIGHTY FIVE NEARBY MIKE HANSON
W SINCE HIS QADR IT'S A VERY
GOOD QUESTION.
WHY HAVE KIDS AT SCHOOL WHEN
YOU CAN DO VIRTUAL LEARNING ON
A DAY LIKE TODAY?
GOSH, THOSE CARS COULDN'T STAY.
IT'S THIS IT'S UNBELIEVABLE,
RIGHT?
IT IS.
>> THAT'S GOING TO SEND OUT TO
OUR METEOROLOGIST GRISTMILL KTV
WHO'S BEEN UP IN ALEXANDER
COUNTY THIS MORNING WHERE 20
PEOPLE HAD TO BE RESCUED FROM
CAMPGROUND CREWS STILL LOOKING
FOR POSSIBLY MISSING PEOPLE.
WE UNDERSTAND, CHRIS.
>> THINGS ARE QUICKLY IMPROVING
HERE BUT THE DAMAGE IS ALREADY
DONE BEHIND ME IS AN EXTENSION
SOUTH YADKIN RIVER.
THIS IS THE HIDDEN NIGHT FAMILY
CAMPGROUND.
THERE ARE PEOPLE ACTIVELY
CAMPING HERE AND 30 PEOPLE HAD
TO BE RESCUED.
OVER 30 PEOPLE.
AND JUST LOOK AT THAT.
YOU CAN SEE THE WATERS ALL THE
WAY UP TO THE TOP OF THAT ROOF
THERE.
THIS HOUSE RIGHT DOWN HERE
SEEING WATER THAT WAS ABOVE THE
WINDOWS.
NOW AS I MENTIONED, THINGS ARE
GETTING BETTER BUT LOOK AT THIS
CAR.
AT ONE POINT THE CAR WAS ALMOST
FULLY UNDER WATER ALMOST UP TO
THE ROOF ABOVE THE WINDSHIELD.
THINGS ARE COMING DOWN.
BUT LOOK AT THAT SLIDER OPENED
UP.
PEOPLE WERE QUICKLY HAVING TO
GET OUT OF HERE AND THE AMOUNT
OF DEBRIS THAT'S BEEN FLOWING
DOWN THE RIVER IS ASTONISHING.
OFTEN THE DISTANCE YOU'RE
SEEING MULTIPLE CAMPERS THAT
ARE CAUGHT UP IN THE TREES.
THERE'S SHEDS THAT HAVE BEEN
FLOATING DOWN THE RIVER JUST
SHOWING HOW POWERFUL THE SOUTH
YADKIN RIVER AT LEAST THE
EXTENSION OF IT IS.
WITH ALL THAT RAIN THAT CAME
DOWN LUCKILY I DON'T HAVE THE
UMBRELLA UP NOW LUCKILY AS OF
RIGHT NOW EVERYONE IS OK BUT
THEY'RE NOT DONE YET.
OVER 20 CREWS ARE STILL SENDING
BOATS OUT EVERY 20 MINUTES
SEARCHING TO SEE AND MAKE SURE
EVERYONE IS OK.
REPORTING HERE IN ALEXANDER
COUNTY, I'M METEOROLOGIST CHRIS
MULKEY AND WE CONTINUE OUR TEAM
COVERAGE RIGHT NOW WITH THE
SCENES WHO SHOWED BILLIE JEAN
SHAW.
>> SHE'S LIVE ALONG THE LITTLE
SUGAR CREEK THERE IN MIDTOWN.
NOT TOO FAR FROM ATRIUM HEALTH.
GIVE US AN IDEA.
PEOPLE WALK THAT STRETCH ALL
THE TIME.
THERE'S A LITTLE GREENWAY
THERE.
IT'S LOOKING FAR DIFFERENT NOW
,VERY DIFFERENT THAN YOU KNOW.
>> THE SIGN SAYS IT.
FLOOD ZONE.
AND LET ME TELL YOU LOOK AT IT
RIGHT HERE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS GREENWAY
YOU JUST REFERENCE IS NO LONGER
A GREENWAY.
IT'S A RIVER.
IT'S NOT RAINING RIGHT NOW BUT
THE RAIN DEFINITELY CAME IN DID
THIS THING AND THEN LEFT.
BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THE DEBRIS
THAT HAS PILED UP AGAINST THE
STEPS.
YOU CAN SEE WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO
BE A LITTLE CREEK HIS THE NAME
LITTLE SUGARCREEK NOW HAS
EXPANDED INTO A RIVER AND THIS
IS ACTUALLY A RECORD BREAKING
HIGH THAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT
NOW.
THE RIVER HAS OR EXCUSE
ME THE CREEK HAS NOT BEEN THIS
HIGH SINCE NINETEEN NINETY
SEVEN.
AT LAST CHECK WE KNOW THAT
LITTLE SUGARCREEK REESHA DEB OF
MORE THAN 15 FEET.
AND IF YOU ARE IN THIS AREA
OFTEN, YOU KNOW THIS IS JUST
LIKE INCREDIBLE TO SEE BECAUSE
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS NOT
BEEN SEEN AGAINST NINETEEN
NINETY SEVEN.
SO THE BEST ADVICE STAY HOME,
DON'T COME OUT, DON'T TRY TO
TAKE PICTURES.
YOU KNOW IT'S VERY DANGEROUS.
YOU CAN SEE THE STEPS.
THERE'S STILL ACCESS DOWN HERE
TO THE GREENWAY BUT
YOU DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO
PUT YOURSELF IN A POSITION TO
FALL INTO THAT MOVING WATER.
BEN ELLEN I'LL SEND IT BACK TO
YOU .
>> BILLIE JEAN JUST TO CONFIRM
YOU'VE MENTIONED THIS BUT BUT
AT THIS POINT THE WATER IS
RECEDING, CORRECT?
HE HAS BEEN THE WATER IS
RECEDING.
IT'S STILL PRETTY HIGH RIGHT
NOW BUT IT WAS EVEN MUCH HIGHER
EARLIER THIS MORNING.
SO JUST GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW
BAD THIS IS EVEN AT THIS LEVEL
IS LOWER THAN WHAT WE SAW A
COUPLE OF HOURS AGO.
BUT IT'S STILL PRETTY HIGH.
ALL THE MORE REASON FOR FOLKS
TO