Clean-up begins as flooding continues

SUPPLY, NC (WWAY) — As the skies cleared, Brunswick County property owners spent the day assessing the damage. There’s still plenty left to mop up.

Many brunswick county residents got back to their normal routines today, but for some business owners the dry weather was just a chance to assess the damage and see how much work they have to do before they get back to business as usual. For A-1 Hitch and Trailer on US 17 in Supply, the standing water was an improvement. Owners say just 24 hours earlier, the entire property was flooded. While there have been several hurricanes during the 25 years they’ve owned the business, they’ve never had this much flooding.

“We did get 20 inches of rain, but we didn’t expect anything like this,” Cheryl Carson said.

Tool sheds float on top of the water. Truck tires are almost completely submerged. Just a few yards away, cars pass by on a now dry Highway 17. All the water seemingly draining off onto the business’s property.

The owners say they’ve tried to get flood insurance for their property, but because it’s so close to the Lockwood Folly River, it’s either too expensive or impossible to get. Still they say they plan to pick up the pieces and start over.

“We always pick up the pieces,” Carson said. “We always keep on going, and that’s really the only choice you have is to keep going.”

Carson said she’s asked for help from County Commissioners and the Army Corps of Engineers, but so far nothing. So for now, she’ll wait for the skies to clear, the water to subside and business to return to normal.