Chapel Hill sees flooding from Florence remnants

By Kathy Hanrahan, Out and About editor

Chapel Hill, N.C. — After significant rain over the past four days, parts of Chapel Hill flooded on Monday.

“The rains fell fast this morning which caused the flood waters to rise at an astounding rate,” Emergency Management Coordinator Vencelin Harris said Monday. “It’s possible we could see similar situations this afternoon and evening with more rain in the forecast. We’re asking you to stay tuned to your local and social media, and be ready to react quickly.”

Officials estimated that more than 6 inches of rain fell in the past 24 hours and nearly 9 inches of rain from the past three days as Hurricane Florence and its remnants moved through the state.

Sky 5 video showed Monday morning that Hillandale Golf Course is Durham flooded and a playground in Chapel Hill underwater.

Estes Drive between Franklin Street and Fordham Boulevard (U.S. Highway 15/501), Bolinwood Drive near Hillsborough Street and Whitfield Road from N.C. Highway 86 to Creek Wood Drive also saw flooding.

The Eastgate Shopping Center was flooded when Booker Creek overflowed.

Officials said emergency responders rescued motorists stranded on flooded roads and helped residents evacuate from Camelot Village Apartments, Brookwood Apartments, Airport Gardens, Booker Creek Townhouse Apartments and Ridgefield Apartments.

UNC-Chapel Hill, which was closed on Monday, will resume classes Tuesday morning.