Whiteville declares state of emergency after severe flooding from Idalia
The city of Whiteville declared a state of emergency after experiencing severe flooding from Tropical Storm Idalia, where water levels on Thursday were as high as 20 inches in one building.
In downtown Whiteville in Columbus County, Audrea McPherson Bailey, who owns the Class & Sass Children's Boutique, said a man and woman had to be rescued from a nearby business as water levels rose.
According to Bailey, the man was a business owner who tried to stay in his shop as Idalia hugged the coast.
"We couldn't get him out," Bailey said. "Some of the guys were offering to carry him."
Bailey spoke to WRAL News, saying her boutique just opened one week earlier. Thankfully, her building hasn't flooded yet, but other business owners weren't as lucky.
She said some buildings downtown flooded in 2018 during Hurricane Florence.
"We're hoping our building will stay dry," she said. "It's not in our building yet. It's in our parking lot. If it comes up another 8 inches, it will be in our building. We're the only building that doesn't have water in right now."
Some of the most severe damage occurred in South Carolina near Myrtle Beach, where an unconfirmed tornado ripped a roof off a beach house. The roof blew behind the house and into a canal.
On Thursday Sky 5 flew over two locations in Columbus County, Whiteville and Fair Bluff, before 2 p.m. Sky 5 video showed homes, churches and car dealerships underwater. A man was riding a 4-wheeler in the street, which looked more like a river.
It was the most significant flooding WRAL News has found in North Carolina from Tropical Storm Idalia.
Coastal towns were also badly flooded. See more photos of storm damage.
