LUCAMA, N.C. (AP) — Tornadoes spawned by Debby leveled homes, damaged a school, and claimed one life early Thursday as the tropical system unleashed heavy rain and floods across North and South Carolina.
Genesis Cooper’s home in Lucama, North Carolina was devastated by a tornado in just 15 seconds. Cooper, his wife, and son sought refuge in a bathroom, feeling the vibrations and hearing the glass shatter before experiencing a sudden boom.
One individual was found dead in a home damaged by the Lucama tornado, according to Wilson County spokesman Stephen Mann. Significant damage was also reported at Springfield Middle School in Wilson County.
Multiple tornado warnings were issued in North Carolina and Virginia, with a tornado watch in effect for over 17 million people in parts of Washington, D.C., Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Debby, now a tropical depression, made landfall in South Carolina as a tropical storm after hitting the Gulf Coast of Florida as a Category 1 hurricane. The storm has left at least seven people dead.
Significant rainfall is expected in North and South Carolina, with additional flooding concerns in Maryland, New York, Vermont, and other areas. Flash flooding is a potential threat, particularly in central North Carolina through Virginia.
Georgia residents were urged to prepare for further flooding as rivers overflowed their banks. Effingham County called for evacuations near the Ogeechee River, while Chatham County allowed residents to decide whether to evacuate.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster cautioned that downstream flooding could occur as rain continues to fall, emphasizing the need to remain vigilant.
This story has been updated to correct the first name of a business owner. He is Forrest Lennon, not Forest. An earlier version of this story removed an incorrect reference to total rainfall amounts for the Carolinas.
Associated Press contributors include Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina; Jeff Martin in Atlanta, and freelance photographer Mic Smith in Isle of Palms, South Carolina.
