Motorists Rescued From Vehicles After Charlotte, NC Flash Floods
Floods in Charlotte, North Carolina, due to torrential rains that occurred around midday on Friday have prompted evacuations, rescue attempts and flash flood warnings.
The rains began just before 12 p.m. and lasted until about 1:15 p.m., accumulating approximately three inches of rain and up to six inches in some areas.
Residents began calling in emergencies immediately, one of the first being a celling collapse at the Sola Salon on in the South end of Charlotte. No one was injured, but many women had their hair and nails ruined.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
A ceiling collapse also occurred at an Embassy Suites on South Tryon Street in Charlotte. Erik Slemon of Robert Graham, LLC, was staying at the hotel and captured the fall in on his camera phone. He described the event as "fast and fierce."
"It went from completely dry to torrential downpour," he told News 14 Carolina.
"Its not something you ever expect to happen, and then you just see the ceiling coming down."
Rains overpowered the hotels drainage pipes and causes the collapse.
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association told The Christian Post that its headquarters in Charlotte suffered no damages as a result of the floods.
But other areas of Charlotte have not been as fortunate. Police and the Fire Department have started evacuating people from two Charlotte neighborhoods. First responders to the flood rescued 16 people who were trapped in vehicles. Approximately, 77 road incidents have been reported, but none have mentioned injuries
Charlotte Fire Department spokesman Capt. Rob Brisley warned residents not to drive through flooded streets. He reported that most of the motorists required rescues because they decided to go through streets with high water.
Flash flood warnings were placed on Gaston, Mecklenburg, Cleveland and Lincoln Counties until 4 p.m.
Spokeswoman for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services, Jennifer Frost reported that parts of Interstate highways 77, 485 and 85 are temporarily shut down due to flooding.
"It came down very fast," said Frost, according to CNN. "It got so dark downtown, it looked like night."
Having worked in the area for nine years, she said she "never seen anything like this before."
