A deadly tornado, flooding rains and swollen rivers plague residents in the path of Debby

LUCAMA, N.C. — Tornadoes spawned by Debby leveled homes, damaged a school and killed one person early Thursday, as the tropical system dropped heavy rain and flooded communities across North and South Carolina.

It only took 15 seconds for a tornado to devastate Genesis Cooper’s home in Lucama, North Carolina, a small town about 40 miles (64 kilometers) east of Raleigh. He almost slept through it — if not for an alert on his wife’s phone.

He, his wife and their 20-year-old son huddled in a bathroom with blankets. They felt vibrations and heard glass shattering before hearing a sudden boom.

“I can’t even describe it. It’s like, suction, that’s what it felt like,” Cooper said. “Like something is squeezing, like your ears are popping.”

The tornado was one of at least three reported overnight in North Carolina, and perhaps the most devastating. One person was found dead in a home damaged by the Lucama tornado, Wilson County spokesman Stephen Mann said in an email. No further details on the person were immediately provided.

Parts of the roof and walls of Cooper's house were torn off, while the side windows were busted out. But Cooper was calm, saying they were in God’s hands.

“This is just stuff. It can be replaced,” he said.

The superintendent of Wilson County Schools confirmed damage at Springfield Middle School, where sections of the walls and roof of the 6th and 7th grade halls are gone or compromised.

Drone footage showed portions of the school's roof ripped off, exposing rafters and duct work. A section of wall had crumbled onto the soggy green lawn, which was strewn with twisted pieces of metal roof and shredded insulation.

Tornado warnings continued to be issued throughout North Carolina and Virginia into the night. A tornado watch was in effect for over 17 million people in parts of Washington, D.C., Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia until 7 a.m. on Friday.

Meanwhile, a dam north of Fayetteville, North Carolina, broke Thursday morning as Debby drenched the area. Between 12 and 15 homes were evacuated, but no one was injured and no structures were damaged, Harnett County spokesperson Desiree Patrick said in an email.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said at a briefing Thursday that the state has activated more National Guard troops and added additional vehicles that can rescue people in floods.

About 100 miles (161 kilometers) south of Lucama, deputies in Bladenboro posted photos of a patrol car damaged by a fallen tree, as well as roads that had been washed out. Standing water a few feet deep covered parts of the tiny North Carolina town.

Townspeople had helped fill sandbags Wednesday before up to 3 feet (91 centimeters) of floodwaters backed into the downtown overnight. When the sun came up, water could still be seen bubbling out of manhole covers.

Forrest Lennon, the owner of Diamond Dave’s Grill in Bladenboro, was counting his blessings even though 5 inches (13 centimeters) of floodwater made its way into the restaurant. He and his wife have owned the place since September. The previous owner said 3 feet of water inundated the building during the last two serious hurricanes, Matthew and Florence.

“It could have been a lot worse,” Lennon said, adding that they did everything they could to prepare for the storm.

“We just came in here and got everything we could as high as we could up off the ground … and we just left and prayed for the best,” he said.

Debby was a tropical depression by late Thursday afternoon, with maximum sustained winds around 35 mph (55 kph), the National Hurricane Center said. It made landfall early Monday on the Gulf Coast of Florida as a Category 1 hurricane. Then, Debby made a second landfall early Thursday in South Carolina as a tropical storm.

At least seven people have died due to the tropical weather.

Still, more flooding was expected in North and South Carolina. Up to 6 more inches (15 centimeters) of rain could fall before Debby clears those states. Parts of Maryland, upstate New York and Vermont could get similar rainfall totals by the end of the weekend, the weather service said.

Central parts of North Carolina up through Virginia were forecast to receive 3 to 7 inches (8 to 18 centimeters) of rain, with isolated areas getting up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) through Friday. The hurricane center warned of the potential for flash flooding.

Some residents of southeast Georgia were warned to brace for additional flooding Thursday even after Debby had cleared out for the Carolinas, as rivers swollen with rainfall overflowed their banks.

The Ogeechee River west of Savannah was forecast to reach its major flood stage Thursday night and crest early Sunday. Emergency officials in Effingham County called for some residents near the river to evacuate.

Officials in neighboring Chatham County, which includes Savannah, allowed residents to decide whether to leave, although rescue teams with boats had already retrieved 17 people from homes threatened by river flooding.

Chatham County Commission Chairman Chester Ellis said at a news conference to expect water where it hasn't been seen before.

“If you have a substantial amount of water in your yards, I would say evacuate now while you still have a chance,” he added.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster also warned Thursday that Debby's effects aren’t completely over because rain falling in North Carolina could swell rivers and cause flooding downstream.

“We’ve passed some dangers, but there’s still plenty,” McMaster said. “So don’t let your guard down yet.”

Back on the coast, Robert Chesnut stood in nearly a foot of water inside his Isle of Palms home with a rented industrial pump that looked like a fire hose. After more than three hours, only about an inch (2.5 centimeters) of water had been pulled out of his house on the barrier island near Charleston.

And once the water is gone, there is still a lot of work to do.

“This is contaminated water,” Chesnut said. “These houses are on septic tanks. I hate to say it, but that’s fecal matter. You have to disinfect everything.”

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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.