FEMA Chief: Prepare For "Long, Frustrating" Florence Recovery

CHARLOTTE, NC — North Carolina will be faced with a long, drawn out recovery from the catastrophic damage left behind by former Hurricane Florence, FEMA's chief told Fox News Sunday. Brock Long also said during an interview that residents — already weary from the high amounts of precipitation — should brace for "copious amounts of rain" as the storm continues it slow churn across the area.

"Unfortunately we've got several more days to go," he said. "Not only are you going to see more impacts across North Carolina...but we're also anticipating you're about to see a lot of damage going through West Virginia all the way up into Ohio as this system exits out."

Florence was downgraded Sunday to a tropical depression, but the death toll from the storm continues to rise as its floodwaters swept away three motorists in separate incidents Saturday, bringing the number of people killed due to the beast to at least 14 across the Carolinas. And, with reports of a landslide at an electric plant ash dump, there are also worries about what environmental dangers might lurk as the storm moves on and the water recedes.

Long said he's concerned about the people who are in "isolated" communities who may be stuck inside their homes without food, water and basic medical supplies. However, he told Fox News that the feds, along with state and local authorities, were as prepared as they could be in responding to rescue needs in both states.

"This is going to be a long, frustrating event for people that have lost everything, that are isolated...but we are doing everything we can to help our state and local partners to get this corrected," Long notes.

You can listen to the rest of Long's interview on Fox News Sunday here.

Florence, as a tropical depression, continued to dump rain over the Carolinas, leading to flash flooding and major river flooding. At 5 a.m. Sunday, sustained winds had decreased to about 35 mph as the storm advanced at about 8 mph. The slow crawl was expected to pour 5 to 10 inches of rain in western and central North Carolina.

The storm has remained so large and so slow to move across North Carolina. Trillions of gallons of rain have been dumped across areas already ravaged by flooding. Some areas of coastal North Carolina have been hit by more than two feet of rain, which continues to fall. Another foot and a half of rain could fall by the end of the weekend, bringing flooding to inland areas that have never flooded.

The National Hurricane Center said Sunday morning that the "rainfall amounts will produce catastrophic flash flooding, prolonged significant river flooding, and an elevated risk for landslides in western North Carolina and far southwest Virginia." An additional 5 to 10 inches, with storm total accumulations of 15 to 20 inches, is expected in western North Carolina and far southwest Virginia. The center predicts the area will face catastrophic flash flooding, prolonged significant river flooding, and an elevated risk for landslides.

For southern North Carolina and northern South Carolina, the forecast calls for an additional 4 to 6 inches of rain, with some isolated areas getting 8 inches. This rainfall will result in additional flash flooding while also exacerbating the river flooding. Storm total accumulations of 30 to 40 inches in southeast North Carolina.

Related coverage:

• Record Rainfall Totals Rising, As Are River Levels In Carolinas
• Florence Moves Catastrophic Flooding Inland, 7 Deaths Reported
• Treasures In The Car: What Evacuees Grabbed Fleeing Their Homes
• 'This Storm Is A Monster': NC Governor Orders Coastal Evacuation
• Hurricane Florence Threatens Pigs, Catastrophic Waste Spills
• Freeze Your Leftovers And Other Tips Ahead Of Hurricane Florence
• Duke Energy: Florence Will Leave Millions Without Power For Weeks
• Florence Downgraded To Tropical Storm, Relentless Rain Continues
• Entire Blue Ridge Parkway To Closed To Traffic
• Wild Horses, Ponies Should Weather Hurricane Florence Just Fine
• 1,000 Out-Of-State Lineman Arrive In NC To Combat Storm Outages
• Driving Near Flooded Rivers, Roads: Do's And Don'ts
• Charlotte Airport Open As Airlines Seek To Restart Flights

(Stay on top of all the latest Hurricane Florence news with our free, real-time news alerts, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here. And like Patch on Facebook!)

Photo: A law enforcement officer blocks traffic from a downed tree on rural South Carolina state highway 51 on Sept. 14, 2018 near Florence, South Carolina. Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images