Nearly three dozen campers at a campground in North Carolina had to be rescued Thursday as heavy rainfall spawned dangerous flash flooding across the region, leading to three dead and an infant and two adults reported missing.
The National Weather Service (NWS) had issued flash flood warnings and emergencies around the area as drenching rains caused flooding from Charlotte into Raleigh.
"Multiple water rescues and life-threatening flash flooding continues across the NC Piedmont/Western NC this morning due to heavy rainfall & streams coming out of their banks," the NWS forecast office in Greenville-Spartanburg tweeted. "DO NOT DRIVE INTO FLOOD WATERS!"
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Alexander County officials said Thursday that three bodies had been found and a child and two adults were missing, WTVD-TV reported. One of the three deaths was related to a car accident, officials said.
In Catawba County, N.C., the Conover Fire Department said it was responding to Hiddenite Family Campground where more than 20 campers were trapped and in need of rescue from the floodwaters.
Flash flooding was reported across North Carolina as heavy rains moved through the state. (Huntsville Police Department)
The campground is located about 60 miles northwest of Charlotte. Waters near the campsite rose when Alexander County experienced up to 10 inches of rain overnight.
The Mooresville Fire Department told WBTV-TV at least 33 people were rescued from floodwaters at the campground. Some patients were reportedly being treated by EMS.
Five boat crews are on the water searching for more people, WBTV reported.
The heavy rains also caused a mudslide in Burke County.
In the greater Charlotte area flooded roads, water rescues and evacuations were underway, FOX46 reported.
Several instances of vehicles going into creeks were also reported throughout the region.
The rushing waters in Alexander County washed away part of a roadway just as a reporter from FOX46 was live on-air.
"This is incredibly scary," FOX46's Amber Roberts could be heard saying.
Major roadways, such as Interstate 85, were experiencing standing water due to the heavy rain.
The flooding caused schools across the region to move to remote learning, while some districts delayed the start of the school day and others urged students to stay home.
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The heavy rains were also drenching parts of Virginia and city officials in Roanoke reported flooding on some city streets.
Heavy rain on Thursday led to several streets being flooded in Roanoke, Va. (City of Roanoke)
A flood watch is in effect for the region until about 7 p.m. on Thursday, as a cold front moving east triggers heavy rain and thunderstorms that will move into the mid-Atlantic.
The heaviest precipitation is expected across North Carolina into the Mid-Atlantic. (Fox News)
"There's some of the heavier rainfall across the mid-Atlantic, that's courtesy of mostly that cold front moving through and temperatures are going to drop," Fox News senior meteorologist Janice Dean said Thursday on "Fox & Friends." "Remember we've had like way above average across the eastern half of the country."
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The biggest threat of flooding will be over the Carolinas and mid-Atlantic as the front sweeps east.
The next storm system moving into the Pacific Northwest will bring high-elevation snow. (Fox News)
Another strong storm will crash into the Pacific Northwest on Friday, bringing with it very strong winds, heavy rain along the coast, and higher elevation snow where the Rockies and Cascades will get 1 to 3 feet by Sunday.
The national forecast for Nov. 12, 2020. (Fox News)
High wind warnings are in effect in advance of the system over the Pacific Northwest.
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