Charlotte Preparing for Possible Flooding from Hurricane Irma

CHARLOTTE, NC– “The topography of Mecklenburg County lends itself to flooding in low lying areas,” said Mark Boone with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services.

Which is why Mark Boone with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services says they’re monitoring creek levels with their ten cameras throughout the county should Hurricane Irma head towards the Carolinas.

“The storm water system has a capacity of about two inches per hour after about two inches of rain in an hour you can have flash flooding,” said Boone.

Boone says families living near major creeks like Briar Creek need to have a plan for evacuation plan and  to protect important documents. Also planning for the unknown is the Red Cross.

“We’re just seeing who we have who can respond and getting them prepped and ready,” said Charlotte Regional Disaster Officer, Rick Schou.

Shou says they’ve stopped deploying crews to Texas, and are using Charlotte as a hub for the state.

“We’re staging several shelter support trailers here in Charlotte that can go anywhere in Carolinas wherever they may be needed and wait and see where the impact is going to be,” said Schou.

Schou says depending on the path it takes Irma could still be a Category 1 hurricane by the time it gets to North Carolina.

“It can spin off tornadoes like we saw with Hurricane Hugo so the hurricane itself it not necessarily the only thing we need to be concerned about,” said Schou.

Boone says flooding is their major concern – and warn everyone that 80 % of all deaths during flooding happen to people in cars.

“If you see water on the road you don’t want to risk it, you don’t know if that road has been eroded and you don’t know how deep it is so best bet is to turn around and not risk it,” said Boone.