Death Toll Rises After Tropical Storm Florence Pummels Through North and South Carolina

The death toll from Hurricane Florence has risen to at least 12 in North and South Carolina, as the now-tropical storm continues to batter the two states with rain and flooding.

The Duplin County, North Carolina Sheriff’s Office confirmed Saturday that there have been two fatalities there.

“As of 1:30 pm on September 15, 2018, Duplin County has had 2 fatalities due to flash flooding and swift water on roadways. All citizens are advised that due to the potential hazards associated with the storm, emergency services may not be immediately available,” reads a statement on the office’s Facebook page.

On Friday, there were five deaths in North Carolina linked to the storm. First, a mother and infant were killed in Wilmington after a tree fell on the house. The child’s father was taken to New Hanover Regional Medical Center to be treated for injuries, police said.

Two men were killed in Lenoir County. A 78-year-old was electrocuted when he tried to connect two extension cords outside in the rain. His family found his body.

The second man was a 77-year-old who was blown down by wind, officials believe, reports the Kinston Free Press. The man left his house to check on his hunting dogs.

A woman was killed in Hampstead, Pender County, according to WWAY. The woman suffered a heart attack, and her house was inaccessible due to downed trees in the road.

The first confirmed death in South Carolina happened near Union. According to the Associated Press, a 61-year-old woman was killed when her vehicle hit a fallen tree on Highway 18. Capt. Kelley Hughes of the South Carolina Highway Patrol said the woman was wearing a seat belt and died at the scene. No other people were in the vehicle with the driver.

According to CBS News, an 81-year-old man died in Wayne County, North Carolina after falling and hitting his head as he tried to evacuate. Two other people died in a house fire in Fayetteville, North Carolina after firefighters could not get to the home.

Florence made landfall in North Carolina early Friday and is now a tropical storm. According to the 2 p.m. bulletin from the National Hurricane Center, it has maximum sustained winds at 45 mph, but is moving west at only 3 mph.

Its slow speed means that North and South Carolina will be hit with more rain throughout the rest of the weekend and into early next week. Parts of the states are expected to see 15 to 20 more inches of rain. Isolated areas south of Cape Hatteras could see between 30 and 40 inches of rain, the NHC said.

Florence is expected to move northwest, into eastern Tennessee and Kentucky before bending back east into West Virginia and moving through the Northeast.

According to West Virginia MetroNews, the state is expected to see 2 to 4 inches of rain, but some parts could see more. By the time it reaches West Virginia though, Florence is expected to be moving at a quicker pace.

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