Not Over Yet

The storm itself has passed, but many people on the East Coast are still dealing with Hurricane Matthew’s effects—with possibly worse to come. Floodwaters continue to rise in some areas as the water the storm dropped on land is now making its way back to the ocean.

As of this writing, on Monday, officials believe 23 people in the US were killed by the storm; three others are still missing. In Haiti, where Matthew arrived as a Category 4 storm, as many as 1,000 people died, and the country is now facing the threat of cholera because of tainted water.  

Some residents of North Carolina are facing new evacuation orders, even after the storm, because of rising rivers and the threat of major floods. The Tar River, for example, was expected to rise 17 feet above flood stage. In Lumberton, NC, which is 70 miles inland, about 1,500 people remained stranded on Monday after the Lumber River overtopped its banks. Coast Guard rescuers in boats and helicopters are plucking people from rooftops. Although officials had been concerned about the levee that protects the city, it has held so far; as this article reports, the National Weather Service says “the flood water west of Interstate 95 was so high that it was flowing around the levee and into the city through a highway underpass.”

We’ll be hearing much more in the days to come about the flood damage, erosion, and cleanup efforts from the storm. If you’re in any of the areas that were affected and would like to share your experiences with our readers—or if you’ve been through a previous hurricane and can offer advice for dealing with the messy aftermath—please leave a comment.