Damage from flooding in eastern North Carolina approached the level of destruction left behind by Hurricane Irene in 2011, Gov. Pat McCrory said Friday. But instead of the hurricane’s storm surge, the cause of this week’s flooding was days of rain.
"We literally have water up to people’s waist and above, and many houses have been flooded," McCrory said at a news conference. About 63 people across northeastern North Carolina have had to be rescued from their homes by fast-water rescue teams. Another 61 were taken to safety from threatened nursing homes.