Lumberton struggles to recover after Hurricane Matthew

Critical-needs patients were being evacuated Wednesday afternoon from Southeastern Regional Medical Center in Lumberton, but hospital officials said other patients will stay in the hospital as the city recovers from extensive flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew.
Posted 10/12/2016, 9:55:42 PM Updated 9/23/2025, 7:51:31 PM

THE RIVER.

>>> FLOOD WATERS ARE SLOWLY

GOING DOWN IN ROBESON COUNTY.

TODAY, GOVERNOR McCRORY GOT A

FIRSTHAND LOOK AT THE DAMAGE.

GERALD OWE AN HAS MORE.

>> Reporter: THE GOVERNOR

HEADED TO LUMBERTON THIS

AFTERNOON, SOMETHING THE

HIGHWAY PATROL WANTS EVERYONE

ELSE TO AVOID.

LATE TODAY, THE HIGHWAY PATROL

URGED DRIVERS TO AVOID

INTERSTATE 95 AND HIGHWAY 301

IN ROBESON COUNTY.

BOTH OF THOSE HAVE ROADS UNDER

WATER.

SEVERAL PEOPLE IS ALREADY BEEN

ARRESTED TRYING TO DRIVE AROUND

THE BARRIERS.

THE NATIONAL GUARD HAS 130 OF

ITS OSAMA ARE IN PLACE AND 110

MILITARY POLICE OFFICERS IN

THAT AREA.

THE GOVERNOR THANKED THEM TODAY

AND THEN TALKED ABOUT THE

PEOPLE HIT HARD OF THE BY THE

STORM.

>> POEM ARE SUFFERING RIGHT

NOW.

PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES.

PEOPLE HAVE LOST THAT YOU ARE

CARS.

PEOPLE HAVE LOST ALL THEIR

BELONGINGS, THEIR MEDICINE AND

EVEN SADLY, THEIR PETS.

THEY'RE STILL KIND OF IN A

STATE OF SHOCK.

THE PEOPLE BEING IMPACTED MOST

ARE THE PEOPLE WHO CAN'T AFFORD

IT.

AND THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT I

HAVE BEEN VISITING DURING THE

DAY IN BOAT -- IN BOTH

PEMBROKE AND HERE IN LUMBERTON.

>> ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTE IN

LOBE SON QUOIPT, CPR REENL

UNTIL MEDICAL CENTER IS OPEN

BUT THE EMERGENCY ROME IS NO

LONGER ACCEPTING PATIENT.

THE HOSPITAL IS ALSO SENDING

CRITICAL CARE PATIENT TO OTHER

FACILITIES.

STAFF IS ASKING FOR PEOPLE TO

LIMIT THEIR CALLS TO THE

MEDICAL CENTER BECAUSE THE

PHONE LINES ARE AT CAPACITY.

THE HOSPITAL IS USING

GENERATORS TO KEEP THE POWER ON

RIGHT NOW.

THE LATEST NUMBERS FROM DUKE

ENERGY SHOW MORE THAN 17,000

CUSTOMER WITHOUT POWER.

DO YOU THINK ALSO LOT OF

TRANSMISSION LINES IN THAT

COUNTY.

>> STILL SEE MAN PEOPLE WITHOUT

POWER.