LUMBERTON, N.C. (WFMY) -- The water inundated parks, flooded gas stations and even covered part of Interstate 95 in Lumberton, shutting the busy interstate down between the 13th and 22nd mile-marker.
As Florence continued to dump wave after wave of rain on the Robeson County town Sunday, people like Ted Shaffer traded their vehicles for boats. Shaffer is originally from Florida but is in North Carolina volunteering with rescue efforts and has been using his jet ski to help reach people stuck in the waters.
He said that Saturday evening and early Sunday morning, he and other volunteers were helping people whose cars were stuck on I-95 before the interstate was closed off, including a man whose car was still stalled in the middle of the road Sunday afternoon.
“The guy was more worried about his car last night," he said. "I was like, 'Look, insurance will take care of all that. We’ve got to get you back up the road here and stuff.'"
The sight of a flooded interstate may leave some shaken or pulling off on an overpass to take photos, but it is an unfortunately familiar sight for others who have lived in Lumberton - those who survived Hurricane Matthew just two years earlier.
“It’s ridiculous because there are still people who have not recovered from this and it’s happening again and it’s sad to see your hometown going through the same thing again,” Lumberton resident Shan Musselwhite said. She said her daughter had just recently moved into a home after losing almost everything in Hurricane Matthew.
The storm's heavy rains and damaging winds are forcing people like Rose Jenkins to evacuate her home - something she has not had to do in her 18 years living in Lumberton.
“I had to when they said 'Category 4.' It was time to go," she said. "But they dropped it down to a 1, but still it was bad so we just went on.”
As the rain continues to beat down on the town, residents said they will continue to brace themselves against the storm.
“The worst isn’t over yet," Musselwhite said.
Robeson County has ordered a mandatory evacuation for people living in west and south Lumberton. People who need transportation to a shelter can call 910-618-5678.
