Tropical Depression Chantal has caused severe flooding across central North Carolina, particularly affecting Orange, Durham, Moore, and Person counties. In Orange County, a State of Emergency was declared as heavy rains led to dangerous conditions, especially in Chapel Hill. The Chapel Hill Fire Department, along with neighboring agencies, conducted over 50 water rescues, with more than 60 people displaced from their homes on Sunday (July 6) and Monday (July 7), according to ABC11.
The flooding was particularly severe in the Camelot Village area, where 20 residents had to evacuate. Businesses at the Eastgate Crossing shopping center suffered extensive damage, with some storefronts torn apart by the floodwaters. A photo from WRAL showed cars pushed into each other in the parking lot.
In addition to Chapel Hill, the flooding impacted other areas, including the failure of the Lake Michael Dam in Orange County, prompting voluntary evacuations. In Moore County, two dams were washed out, leading to a state of emergency. The Longleaf Dam in Southern Pines broke, flooding homes and apartment complexes, necessitating rescues by boat crews.
The Eno River in Durham crested at 25.63 feet, surpassing its previous record, while the Haw River reached its second-highest level on record. As a result, many roads, including parts of Interstate 40/85, were closed. Power outages affected over 34,000 customers, and a boil water advisory was issued for Hillsborough due to flooding at the water treatment plant.
Chantal is expected to continue moving northeast, with more rainfall predicted, raising concerns of further flash flooding. Cleanup and recovery efforts are anticipated to be extensive in the coming days.