Press Releases
Members of a North Carolina incident management team that has been serving in Hawaii since May 19 returned home this weekend, and a larger team of 14 North Carolina emergency managers has replaced them.
Cleanup and damage assessments are beginning in North Carolina’s western counties, but hazards remain due to high water levels and saturated ground.
County officials in impacted areas are conducting initial damage assessments this weekend in their communities and will be joined by state and federal damage assessment teams next week as warranted. These local damage assessments are the first step in determining what, if any, state or federal disaster assistance programs are available to help residents recover.
While rains from Alberto are tapering off across western North Carolina, emergency officials are keeping a close watch on river and lake levels as the threat of flooding, landslides and mudslides remains significant. Initial reports indicate a landslide yesterday evening near Boone may have claimed two lives. Rescue teams recovered two bodies from the collapsed home where a gas leak also occurred.
Though Subtropical Depression Alberto is weakening, the threat of additional rain means North Carolinians need to remain vigilant and watch for area flooding in low-lying areas and landslides in the mountains, Governor Roy Cooper said today.
As Subtropical Storm Alberto continues to bring heavy rains, flooding and the potential for landslides to North Carolina, Governor Roy Cooper urged residents to take seriously the storm, which has claimed two lives in the state.
Governor Roy Cooper and State Public Safety officials are making preparations for the potential of heavy amounts of rain in many parts of the state due to Subtropical Storm Alberto. The storm is expected to transition to a tropical storm later today or tomorrow.
The suspect sought in the murder investigation of Trooper S. N. Bullard is in custody after an extensive search by state and local authorities. On Wednesday, May 23 at approximately 3:30 a.m., investigators arrested Dakota Kape Whitt, 22, of Elkin without incident.
Whitt was transported to the Wilkes County Detention Center in Wilkesboro.
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In anticipation of the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, increased traffic congestion is expected across the state, as motorists travel to their intended destinations. North Carolina provides several vacation opportunities from the mountains to the coast which also invites an increased number of visitors from surrounding states.
The State Highway Patrol is seeking assistance from the public in locating the driver involved in Monday night's pursuit in Surry County. At approximately 10:53 p.m., troopers attempted to stop a black BMW passenger vehicle that traveled through a checkpoint. During the pursuit of the BMW, Trooper S. N. Bullard was involved in a collision, causing Bullard to succumb to his injuries at the scene.
The fragile, sea-level terrain of the Outer Banks makes its infrastructure especially vulnerable when storms threaten. Local and state officials say a new assessment effort will help the Outer Banks and coastal communities become more resilient during future disasters.
North Carolina Emergency Management is partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to assess items of critical infrastructure that serve North Carolina’s Outer Banks.