CANTON, N.C. – A State of Emergency has been declared for Haywood County following Thursday’s heavy rains and flash flooding. The storms hit in an area devastated by floods in 2021. Haywood County Schools dismissed students early on Thursday because of flooding that “developed rapidly in some areas of the county” according to a news release. Rainfall of more than five inches in similar storms has been associated with an increased risk of landslides and rockslides.
MEANWHILE…
JACKSON COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) – In Jackson County many residents saw quick rising water flood their yards during the heavy rain Thursday and now they’re wondering could Duke Energy have prevented it. The Tuckasegee River spilled onto people’s property, with some homeowners saying they watched water levels climb from 6 feet to over 14 feet within a day. Duke Energy manages the release of water from dams upstream during heavy rains, but residents are asking did something happen differently this time. A Duke Energy spokesperson said, as lake levels rise due to storm flow, gradual spillway releases are necessary to protect Duke Energy dams and to reduce the risk of larger spillway releases, adding higher than normal levels are hard to predict.
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