Lingering flood water could impact health

The devastating flooding dumped on North Carolina by Hurricane Matthew destroyed roads and houses, businesses and trees, but the lingering water could have serious impacts on health.
Posted 10/12/2016, 11:06:45 PM Updated 9/23/2025, 7:51:31 PM

>>> THE WATER THROUGHOUT THE

TOWNS WE'VE SEEN IS MUTED AT

SOME LEVEL YET, WE CONTINUE TO

SEE PEOPLE WADING THROUGH IT.

MONICA LALIBERTE HAS MORE.

>> Reporter: IT IS

UNDERSTANDABLE PEOPLE WANT TO

GET INTO THEIRED INTOED HOMES

AND BUSINESSES AS QUICKLY AS

POSSIBLE TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE.

YES, THAT DIRTY WATER CAN POSE

A SIGNIFICANT HEALTH RISK.

IT CAN BE CONTAMINATED WITH

EVERYTHING FROM RAW SEWAGE TO

BACTERIA, CHEMICALS, EVEN

REPTILES.

CHECK OUT THIS SNAKE JOHN

GRAHAM SAW SWIMMING IN THE

BLACK RIVER.

EXPERTS SAY SNAKE BITES ALWAYS

INCREASE DURING AND AFTER

FLOODING BECAUSE THEY LOOK IF

HIGHER GROUND JUST HIKE WE DO.

AS FAR AS POLLUTION, PRETTY

MUCH ALL OF THE FLOOD WATER IS

CONTAMINATED WITH RAW SEWAGE

BECAUSE OF FAILED SYSTEMS.

THAT MEAN E. COLI AS WELL AS

OTHER ORGANISMS THAT CAUSE

SERIOUS INFECTION.

MEESE MAKE SURE YOU KEEP YOUR

KID AWAY FROM THE WATER UNTIL

IT IS ALL GONE AND THEN, WHEN

IT DOES GO DOWN.

MAKE SURE YOU PROTECT YOURSELF

WITH A CLEAN-UP.

WEAR RUBBER BOOTS AND TBLOFS,

EVEN GOGGLE AS YOU CLEAN UP AND

DISCARD ANYTHING THAT CANNOT BE

COME MEETLY DISINFECTED

INCLUDING RUGS, MATTRESSES,

COSMETICS, WALL COVERINGS, MOST

PAPER PRODUCT.

BEFORE A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL

THE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

ABOUT THE CLEAN-UP WITH OUR