Swiftwater rescue teams from Charlotte and Mooresville are headed to eastern North Carolina to help with impacts from Tropical Storm Debby.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — First responders from the Charlotte-area are headed to eastern North Carolina to help with Tropical Storm Debby rescues. Both the Charlotte Fire Department and the Mooresville Fire-Rescue‘s swiftwater rescue teams are headed toward the coast.
The Mooresville crews are headed to Harnett County while the Charlotte crew is headed toward Elizabeth Center in Bladen County. Both areas are expected to experience flooding from Debby.
The water rescue crews will assist residents who may be caught in flood waters caused by Tropical Storm Debby.
By Thursday, the storm will make a Carolina landfall and bring the impacts of heavy rain and flash flooding to North Carolina.
Tropical Storm Debby will bring widespread heavy rain along Interstate 77. Areas east of I-77 could see significant rainfall that leads to flash flooding. Panovich said rain rates could be up to 3 inches per hour. At those intensities, flash flooding can occur.
Panovich said the Charlotte area could see anywhere from 4-7 inches of rain from Debby. Areas to the east, including Rockingham and Wadesboro, could see over 7 inches. Areas north and west of Charlotte, including Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell and Lincoln counties, could see 2-4 inches. The mountains are expected to get less rain, around 1-2 inches, as Debby pushes east toward the coast.
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