Idalia has minimal impact in Fayetteville, but still could cause flooding from Lumbee River
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Though the water level at Cross Creek has increased by a few inches as Idalia passes through the Sandhills, Fayetteville and Cumberland County officials say it the storm had a moderate impact to the area.
Cumberland County says only four people came to the emergency shelters it set up in Fayetteville with the Sandhills Red Cross chapter at the Smith and Kiwanis Recreation Centers.
A Fayetteville official says about 1,000 people lost power overnight but PWC was able to remedy that by Thursday morning.
"We experienced some trees down on the power lines in a handful of locations that caused some power outages. The power companies were able to restore those fairly quickly; the wind gusts were not two a point that would have inhibited any type of first responders or utility companies," said Gene Booth, the director of Cumberland County Emergency Services.
The city of Fayetteville says there weren't any major floods there either. However, the National Weather Service is projecting that Idalia could cause flooding in the Lumber River that could peak by Saturday. Lumberton's fire chief tells ABC11 the water level is about 13 feet, a level that isn't posing a danger to the public--not the 17 feet that was originally predicted. Still, he says Lumberton has been taking some special steps to prepare.
"We as a fire department and the city brought on extra staff in different areas--public works. The fire department has increased staffing, we have our swift water rescue team," Fire Chief Chris West said, "more precautionary than anything."
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West tells ABC11 the Lumber River's water level varies, but eight to nine feet are more typical when there aren't flooding risks. West says there hasn't been any flooding yet, but officials are keeping an eye out for changes to the water.
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