LAURINBURG — The Emergency Operation Center in Laurinburg is still taking Hurricane Florence seriously, becoming a 24-hour hub for emergency service personnel on Thursday.
Overnight, the N.C. Department of Corrections helped the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office evacuate 115 inmates from the county jail.
“The jail and courthouse are in a low area (and )it could flood really bad there,” said Roylin Hammond, director of Scotland County Emergency Services.
From 10 p.m. to around 2 a.m, inmates were moved to safer jails outside the flood areas.
Hammond reports that they have high water clearance vehicles and have requested that more come from the National Guard and that, in hurricane weather, water moves and even standing water is dangerous.
“We are expecting extreme flooding in places we have never had flooding before,” added Hammond, “Over the next 36 to 72 hours it may get rough.”
He said there are two swift water rescue teams staged in Aberdeen.
“We staged them outside of the county so, wherever the situation is, they can get up and go,” Hammond said.
Hammond reports that the curfew worked well and was proud to see not many out past 7 p.m.
“Please continue to stay inside, the wind is going 39 mph now and we expect it can go up to 50 mph,” Hammond said.”There are 20,000 Duke power workers, but they will not come until it is safe to work.”
He added that the wind and rain will continue Friday through Sunday and it possibly could extend to Monday.
Jael Pembrick can be reached at 910-506-3169 or [email protected].