(The Center Square) – Chantal, the tropical depression on Friday that developed into a named storm, has left North Carolina and moved into Virginia leaving behind at least two fatalities and plenty of cleanup duty near the Triangle.
The North Carolina Highway Patrol confirmed the death of an 83-year-old woman in Chatham County. Her car became submerged in water and was found swept about 100 feet off the road. Published reports say a death in Mebane is also attributed to the storm.
A state of emergency has been declared in Alamance, Moore and Orange counties, said first-term Democratic Gov. Josh Stein. Chantal was expected to brush southern New England’s coastline by the evening.
The third named storm of the Atlantic Basin’s hurricane season had sustained winds of nearly 60 mph when it made landfall on Sunday near Litchfield Beach, S.C., just before dawn, the National Weather Service said. A tornado in the Kings Grant community east of Wilmington International Airport was confirmed.
Confirmations of tornadoes in Alamance and Orange counties were being sought by the National Weather Service.
Inland, the Eno River flooded and knocked out power to thousands. The state Department of Transportation, at midday Monday, said the 122 road closures because of Chantal include nine federal highways, 11 state roads and 102 secondary roads. At one time, Interstate 40/85 in Alamance County was closed.
The Eno, according to published reports, was higher than in 1996 during Hurricane Fran and rose 22 feet in four hours. It crested at a record 25.63 feet. The Haw River crested at 32.5 feet in the town of Haw River, second-highest to Fran’s 32.83 feet.
Eastgate Crossing, a shopping center in Chapel Hill, was heavily damaged by flood water.
The Chapel Hill Fire Department reported more than 50 water rescues.
Damage was reported most severe in the central portion of the state. Weather watches, warnings or advisories – most related to flooding – remained in effect to start the afternoon in 14 counties: Alamance, Bladen, Brunswick, Caswell, Chatham, Cumberland, Durham, Harnett, Lee, Moore, New Hanover, Orange, Pender and Person.
The highest recorded wind gust in North Carolina was 48 mph in Southport. Springmaid Pier’s 56 mph gust was the fastest recorded in South Carolina.
