Hurricane Floyd NC Update

[Doug Wilkinson <cn2459@COASTALNET.COM>]

LM_Netters:

This is an update on Hurricane Floyd in North Carolina.

Thank you to those who offerred help and prayers. Both are most welcome.

I am currently listening to the Broadcasters Hurricane Floyd Telefon for the
NC Hurricane Floyd Relief Fund carried on PBS TV and various radio stations
in NC and other states. This fund is to fill the gap between help from
groups such as the Red Cross, Salvation Army, and United Way and federal and
state money. 100% of donations received go directly to individual people
according to criteria established by the governor's office. All
administrative costs are being donated. The phone number is (toll-free)
1-877-FLOYD-NC (1-877-356-9362) or e-mail on-line to floydrelief@aol.com
(name, address, phone numbers, etc.). The telefon lasts until 6 pm today,
but the phone number should be active anytime. (This, to our knowledge, is
the first time NC Association of Broadcasters have come together to produce
a state-wide telefon.)

2 1/2 weeks after Floyd, we still have 1250 people living in shelters.
16,000 homes are totally or partially ruined. Out of 69 dead nation-wide
from Floyd, 49 were in NC. 5 more in NC are presumed dead. Some of them were
rescue personnel. The rain I mentioned for last week hit the flooded areas
the hardest again Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. 80% of the roads in
Goldsboro were flooded. People who had begun pulling usable belongings from
their homes over the sunny week-end were forced to abandon them in heaps
outside when the rivers -- especially the Neuse -- rose again and flooded
people out a second time in many areas, especially Tarboro and Kinston. The
flooding in some areas is just as bad as I described it last week. Even the
National Guard interviewed were discouraged by this setback. We're finding
more dead and alive, both people and animals. When the waters go down, we'll
know more. (If it doesn't rain again and keep the water levels up or flood
people again!) Helicopters still fly constantly over parts of Greenville,
Kinston, Tarboro, etc. In Tarboro, the flood crested above the 500 year
flood plain.

Most of these residents were told they did not need flood insurance. Many
people, especially farmers, qualify for loans which they cannot afford
because their "collateral" is under water and they still owe mortgages for
homes or farms. One farmer has 100 cattle under 13 feet of water. They
finally got too tired to swim and drowned. A few cows broke into a mobile
home and are still alive, but there's no way at the moment to get them out.
A few turkeys survived, and that's his income and collateral for any loan.
Farmers don't qualify for "free" money, only loans. Basically east of I95 is
the area most devastated. Houses in Nashville are covered with river silt.
The flood waters there crested 2 feet above the 100 year high. Water-logged
wood crumbles in furniture. Water-logged mattresses take 4 men to move. Dogs
paddled in water for 48 hours to survive and were too weak to catch a
hamburger thrown to them. We still fill trucks with non-perishable foods and
essentials for the homeless.

Everything touched by water is considered contaminated. Upholstery of any
kind should be discarded. Even dried out, it will harbor mold and cause
respiratory problems in the future. Walls, electrical systems, rugs, etc.,
if touched by water, needs to be torn out and thrown out and replaced. These
homes are not habitable. Most will have to be rebuilt from the ground up.
Even though I'm concentrating on homes, this applies to any building.

Most roads are open, though some may close again if we get more rain. Most
school systems are open or partly open. Some systems called for staff work
days, some for staff who could get there. East Carolina University opened
Wednesday. Pitt County schools sent its students to the "nearest open
age-appropriate school" near the end of last week, Thursday I think. I was
sick Friday, so I don't know if Lenoir County Schools opened or not. River
Road is Craven County is under water, but all schools will be open Monday.
West Craven High suffered flooding in the band room and athletic rooms. West
Craven Middle is now accessible and Vanceboro Farm Life is now accessible
and no longer being used as a shelter.

Craven County and the surrounding counties are considered low-wealth, rural
areas. This hurricane will cost over $6 million (a very conservative
estimate which will probably rise). That's the parts we can see -- that are
not still under water.

How this disaster is going to impact school media centers is yet to be seen.
It will affect the priorities, the tax base, the future of bonds before
voters, the mental health of students and families, physical health
(allergies, mosquitoes, contaminated waters, snakes), etc. Our recovery time
is being compared to that of Hurricane Andrew (3 years). For many,
especially in surrounding counties, survival will be the priority. Books and
media in homes have been lost. School and public libraries will be essential
to fill that gap. I only hope the money will be there for the school and
public libraries to do that job in personnel and materials.


We are still the lucky ones. We still have less flooding than some counties
around us.

Linda Wilkinson
Media Coordinator
School Base Technology Specialist
New Bern High School
cn2459@coastalnet.com

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