- Thousands flee as wildfires burn out of control and destroy homes across the Los Angeles area
- Thousands flee as wildfires burn out of control in and around Los Angeles and homes are destroyed
- Lakers coach, former Duke star JJ Redick says his family evacuated and people are 'freaking out' due to LA wildfires
- Montgomery County residents unite to weather freezing temperatures and rebuild after tornado damage
- New charge filed against ex-security guard accused of using hidden cameras to take videos of girls at The Woodlands Mall, Hurricane Harbor
Flooding along Catawba River displaces neighbors
GASTON COUNTY, N.C. (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE) – It was a morning of panic for residents who live along the Catawba River with homes and cars overtaken by flood waters.
Several neighbors had to be rescued from rising flood waters Monday morning after an evening of rain left the area submerged.
“When we went to bed at 10:30 last night there was no water,” neighbor Rachel Brumbelow said.
By 11:00 a.m., Charlotte Fire had assisted in the rescue of at least 34 people, including Rachel Brumbelow.
“Went outside and saw that our cars were completely submerged the whole front of our house you could not see where the lake started or stopped, and the fire department was there saying they were there to evacuate us,” she told FOX 46.
RELATED: Flooding emergency continues with another round of storms Monday
Sherry Rutledge’s daughter also fell victim to the flood waters.
“They got there to rescue her, it was up to her knees. She kept texting ‘it’s coming up under the door,’ and finally she said ‘mom it’s underneath the winds, I can see things floating past the house,’” Rutledge said.
Residents are left leaning on relatives for a temporary place to call home.
“Luckily we have some place to go, but we have no vehicles and don’t know the condition of our house,” Brumbelow said.
Neighbors are saying they’ve never seen it quite this bad.
“It’s just amazing it’s just I mean look how deep it is that car is practically all buried,” Flo Davis said.
She had plans to build a house where water now flows.
“It was going to be through that gate and we got the dirt and built a gazebo and dock its gone.”
Now, residents are bracing for another round of rain as they pray for some relief.
“I’m still in shock definitely. I’m sure it will hit me hard later but here it is now but just the fact that they knew it was happening and we got no warning so there’s nothing else we can do right now,” said Brumbelow.
Charlotte Mecklenburg Emergency Management worked with the Red Cross to provide a shelter at Hopewell High School for residents evacuating from the area along the Catawba River.