Black River flooding rises at rapid rate; evacuations mandatory in river basin

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Tuesday afternoon a mandatory evacuation notice was issued for the Black River basin area of Pender County.

With waters rising around Highway 210, people left their homes and belongings being to flee to higher ground.

“I’ve lived here all my live and my granddaddy and great granddaddy lived in this house and Floyd came up to the third step here and it looks like this one’s gonna do the same thing,” said Ted Brown.

Brown had time to make preparations.

“When it gets to where we can’t get out of here, I’m heading to Wilmington,” said Brown.

Others were not as lucky. Eddie Meeks and his family were rescued by a large military truck.

“Well I hate to leave my home for one thing. You know you always hate to leave your home unattended for an extended period of time,” said Meeks.

He said in 35 years in the area, he has never had to evacuate before.

“I was tempted to try and wait it out, but when they said the water is rising at three or four inches an hour that’s a lot of water so I said we better get out,” Meeks said.

The good news is Meeks and his family are safe, but now they are not sure what’s next.

“We don’t know where we’re going. They said we’ll be moving to a shelter but we don’t know which one and where at. We’re just kinda playing it by ear,” Meeks said.

But despite the unknown, Meeks said he is glad his family left, and he encourages anyone else who’s able to do the same.