By Ben Rappaport
Heavy rains pummeled Columbus County on Monday, flooding roadways and leading to water rescues.
The county saw 8.5 inches of rain in 24 hours, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Coastal North Carolina communities saw the most flooding from “Potential Tropical Cyclone #8,” but rain pelted much of the state on Monday. Bladen County got 3.5 inches of rain, Robeson County received 2.1 inches and Scotland County got 2.9 inches, according to gauges from the Geological Survey.
The Border Belt region is expected to see some rain Tuesday, with minimal risk of continual flooding, according to the National Weather Service. Several rivers may approach flood stage over the next few days, the service said in a weather briefing Monday.
River levels rose across the region on Monday night, according to the USGS. As of Tuesday morning, the Lumber River was at 11.6 feet, the Waccamaw River at 12.3 feet and the Cape Fear River at 6.8 feet.
While rains are expected to subside throughout the rest of the week, the NWS warns that excessive runoff from heavy rainfall can cause flooding, especially near creeks and streams, drainage ditches and low-lying flood-prone areas.
Here are some scenes from Columbus County.
