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Florence Live Updates from the Field Tuesday: Watching the Water Rise

US-NEWS-WEA-FLORENCE-23-RA
From left, Mike Haddock, 48, Justin Humphrey, 24, Katlyn Humphrey, 19, and Michelle Haddock, 45, remove possessions from the Haddocks' flooded home using a jon boat on Monday, Sept. 17, 2018 in Trenton, N.C., following Hurricane Florence.
Travis Long/Raleigh News & Observer/TNS
(TNS) — Charlotte Observer reporters and photojournalists are in the field throughout the Carolinas reporting on the effects of Florence. Their Monday reports are here and their Sunday reports are here

You can follow them on Twitter.

Read more of our coverage of Hurricane Florence.

Myrtle Beach, SC: Back into the water

12:15 a.m.: Myrtle Beach has lifted its ban on aquatic activity, allowing locals and Grand Strand visitors back into the ocean.

The ban was put in place as Hurricane Florence approached the Carolina coast. For about a week, people were banned from entering the ocean. The restrictions remained in place as Florence became a tropical storm and passed through the Horry County area. — ALEX LANG

Spring Lake, NC: Worse than Matthew

10:15 a.m.: Terrence Jones hadn't seen his wife for two days when he went down to look at the swollen banks of the Little River on Tuesday morning in Spring Lake.

It looks like he won't be able to see her for a little while longer.

The Little River, which has been sent to record heights by the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, has cleaved this small town north of Fayetteville in two. Bragg Boulevard, which crosses the Little River, is impassable -- something that wasn't the case two years ago during Hurricane Matthew.

"It's never been like this in all my 60 years I've lived," Jones said, pointing down at the river.

During Matthew the church near the intersection of Manchester Road and Bragg Boulevard flooded, but today nearly a half-mile swatch around the intersection is submerged. The river is expected to crest at some point Tuesday.

Jones said he went to help friends on the south side of the river to clean up from the hurricane, but by the time he came back, the police were no longer letting people through. So he was stuck. Several other roads in the area are also impassable.

Jax Shinn said she hasn't been able to see friends on the other side of the river either. Whole neighborhoods are unable to get to Fayetteville, she said.

"The flooding is worse" than Matthew, Shinn said. "No one knocked on my door to tell me to leave in 2016. This time they told me to leave."

Shinn didn't leave, however, and her home appears as if it will be staying dry. Members of the National Guard and the New York Task Force's Urban Search and Rescue team began surveying the Little River around Bragg Boulevard on Tuesday morning.

A U.S. Geological Survey technician in Spring Lake said the Little River had risen higher than it was projected because of an intense thunderstorm Monday night.

"This is easily record breaking," said James Stonecypher out of the USGS' Raleigh office, who said the river was projected to reach 35.4 feet.

But despite those record levels there have been no fatalities in Spring Lake related to the Little River's rising, said Troy McDuffie, chief of the Spring Lake Police Department.

"We have had no lost lives," he said. Now "we are in a waiting mode ... and waiting for the waters to recede."

"We planned to the best of our abilities and we've had lots of support from other agencies and the military," McDuffie added.

But it will likely be awhile before Spring Lake is back to normal, reckons Jones. Many businesses are still under water, and likely will be for several days, before the cleanup can begin in earnest.

"The Circle K my wife works has never been shut down," Jones said. "It's closed now." — ZACHERY EANES

Fayetteville, NC: 'Do not become complacent'

9 a.m.: Heavy rains had finally ended in Fayetteville, with a bright, cloudless blue sky Tuesday morning.

But there is still danger in Cumberland and surrounding counties as the Cape Fear and Neuse rivers continue to rise.

"There is a strong potential that those who live within the 1-mile evacuation area of the Cape Fear River will be impacted by flooding. Additionally, high speed, fast-moving water with debris will likely cause bridge damage and it is advised that residents do not walk or drive on bridges that have been flooded," the City of Fayetteville said in a news release Tuesday morning.

The city also asked people not to drive around or move road barriers, which mark flooding and sinkholes.

"We have had reports from the law enforcement that people are moving them, which is needlessly endangering the lives of our residents," the city said. "Even though the heavy rains have ended, the flood hazard to life and property is real. Do not become complacent."

Heavy rain Monday night helped swell the Little River upstream from the Cape Fear even more, adding to its already-overflowing banks.

"This could be a long-lasting and dangerous situation that will likely not subside until well into the weekend," the city said.

There had been 81 people rescued in Cumberland County as of Tuesday morning, with the majority occurring around North Bragg Boulevard and Manchester Road. The water rescues were conducted by county, City of Fayetteville and FEMA Urban Search & Rescue Teams, the city said.

As of 7 a.m. Tuesday, there were 1,202 people in county shelters. — ABBIE BENNETT

Fayetteville, NC: Rivers still rising

8:01 a.m.: The Cape Fear River in Fayetteville was expected to crest on Tuesday, but another river in Cumberland County had already reached an all-time record.

The Cape Fear in Fayetteville reached 59.37 feet as of 8 a.m. Tuesday, the National Weather Service reported. That tops Hurricane Matthew's crest of 58.94 feet on Oct. 10, 2016. The river was expected to crest at 61.5 feet about 2 a.m. Wednesday.

The Little River in Manchester upstream near Spring Lake hit a record level on Monday, according to the weather service. The river was at 34.96 feet as of 3:30 p.m. Monday. During Hurricane Matthew (the previous all-time high) it reached 32.19 feet.

On Tuesday at 7 a.m., the Little River stood at 35.95 feet and was expected to crest at 36.7 feet Tuesday, the weather service said.

North Carolina Urban Search and Rescue, the National Guard and Fayetteville Fire-Rescue were on standby in Spring Lake near the Little River to assist Spring Lake Fire-Rescue on Tuesday morning. — ABBIE BENNETT

North Topsail Beach, NC: Don't underestimate damage

7:15 a.m.: Mayor Daniel Tuman, in a letter released Monday night, said 77 structures on North Topsail Beach had experienced major damage and another 874 structures sustained minor damage during Florence. North Topsail Beach also had washed-out dunes, road hazards, debris and utility outages, he said.

Tuman cautioned people "to not underestimate the damage sustained."

"It is not safe to allow our residents to return at this time," he said. "We hope to allow reentry to our residents on Wednesday, but this is an admittedly optimistic goal. Reentry is contingent upon several factors, the chief of which is safety."

The mayor said downed cell towers kept the town from providing information as frequently as it had planned during the storm. — THAD OGBURN

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