Flood in Cumberland County, North Carolina

Torrential rainfall of 12 to 15 inches caused widespread flash flooding across the county. The heavy rains caused at least 8 dams to breach in Cumberland County. Additional rainfall upstream resulted in major flooding at both the Little River at Manchester and Cape Fear at Fayetteville. Flooding damaged approximately 4,050 structures throughout the county, resulting in $62.1 million in property damage and and at least $20 million in crop damage. There was more than 700 swift water rescues in Cumberland County alone. The flooding resulted in 2 direct fatalities. A 81 year old female was found dead inside her vehicle in the 100 block of Rhodes Pond Road. After flood waters receded, a 53 year old male was found less than 100 yards away from his vehicle near the Clinton Road exit on the southbound side of I-95. There were also 2 indirect fatality. A 63-year-old man died several days later from a pre-existing health condition after he was unable to refill his prescription medication due to flooded and impassable roadways. The second indirect fatality occurred several weeks later when a construction equipment operator died while repairing an earthen dam damaged by Hurricane Matthew. The victim was operating a Bobcat when the equipment overturned, trapping him underwater at McFayden Lake.

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.