Flood — Johnston, North Carolina

2016-10-09 to 2016-10-13 · near Drug Store, Johnston, North Carolina

Event narrative

Torrential rainfall of 9 to 12 inches caused widespread flash flooding across the county. Additional 5 to 6 inches of rainfall upstream caused all-time record major flooding along the Neuse River Basin. Flooding damaged approximately 1,160 structures throughout the county, resulting in $24.7 million in property damage,

and $20 million in crop damage. Numerous streets and roads were reported flooded, causing sinkholes to form, including a large sinkhole at mile marker 334 on Interstate 40. The flooding resulted in 4 direct fatalities. A 19 year old female died when her car was swept away by flood waters into Hannah Creek on Interstate 95 at mile marker 83, near Four Oaks. A 30 year old male died when his vehicle was swept off the road when attempting to drive through flood waters on Cornwallis road near NC Highway 42. A 67 year old male died when his vehicle was swept away when attempting to go across a flood-covered bridge on Highway 210 near Galilee Road. A 51 year old male died when he was swept away while walking. The body was found 3 days later in a water-filled ditch on NC Highway 96, south of the Meadow community.

Wider weather episode

Hurricane Matthew skirted by the North Carolina coast on October 8, 2016, dropping torrential rainfall of 8 to 15 inches and producing wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph across Central and Eastern North Carolina. The large swath of 8 to 15 inches of rain across Eastern and Central North Carolina, caused devastating and life threatening flash flooding, that evolved into major and record setting river flooding along portions of the Neuse, Cape Fear, and Tar river basins.

Matthew's inland flood waters resulted in 11 direct fatalities within the WFO RAH CWA, approximately $686 million in property damage to flooded homes and businesses, and $150 million in crop damage. Countless roads and highways were underwater, along with with numerous roads washed out, including sections of Interstates 95 and 40. Besides the 11 direct fatalities, at least 3 indirect fatalities also occurred.

In addition, the associated strong wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph resulted in 1 fatality, when a tree fell onto a moving vehicle. Finally, the associated EF-1 tornado in Wayne County resulted in $75 thousand in property damage.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (35.6172, -78.6113)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 663369. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.