Despite living in shelters, Princeville residents look ahead

With 80 percent of the town flooded, many Princeville residents will spend another night in a shelter.
Posted 10/14/2016, 10:55:34 PM Updated 9/23/2025, 7:51:31 PM

RECEDING HERE SOMETIME TOMORROW

MORNING.

>>> THE TOWN OF PRINCEVILLE

THOUGHT IT WAS PREPARED FOR A

FLOOD BUT NO ONE EXPECTED THIS

MUCH WATER.

>> A TOWN THAT IS NOW 80% UNDER

WATER, MANY RESIDENT CAN SIMPLY

NOT GO HOME AND A GOOD NUMBER

OF THE RESIDENTS ARE IN

NEIGHBORING TARBORO THIS

EVENING.

THAT IS WHERE WE FIND DEBORAH

MORGAN WITH SOME OF THEIR

TOUCHING STORIES.

DEB?

>> Reporter: IT WAS VERY

DIFFICULT TO GO INTO TARBORO

HIGH SCHOOL TODAY.

THAT IS IS WHERE THE RED CROSS

HAS SET UP A SHELTER.

MORE THAN 230 PEOPLE ARE NOW

CALLING THAT PLACE HOME.

ONE MAN HANDED ME THIS DRYER

SHEET.

THIS IS HOW THEY ARE TRUEING TO

STAY FRESH AND CLEAN.

THIS RUBBING THEIR HAND ON THIS

AND THEIR CLOTHES.

IT HAS BEEN SO DIFFICULT, THIS

HAS BEEN DAYS THAT THEY HAVE

BEEN LIVING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

THEY ARE GETTING MEALS AND THEY

ARE STAYING THERE AT NIGHT.

THEY ARE SAYING IT IS GETTING

HOT AT INTO THE.

CAN YOU TELL THEY WANT TO GO

HOME BUT THEY ARE SO GRATEFUL

FOR THE DONATIONS THEY'VE HAD

AS WELL.

NOW, SOME TONIGHT ARE WONDERING

IF THEY CAN GO HOME AT ALL.

DAYS AFTER THE STORM HIT,

PEOPLE HERE IN EDGECOMBE COUNTY

BRACED FOR THE FLOODING THEY

KNEW WOULD BE COMING.

THEY GRABBED THEIR CHILDREN,

NOT MUCH ELSE AND CAME HERE TO

THE TARBORO HIGH SCHOOL.

A RED CROSS SHELTER.

>> IT IS REAL HARD BECAUSE MOST

OF THE STUFF THAT WE BASICALLY

BUILT FOR IS NOW GONE.

THAN OUR KIDS ARE SITTING HERE

SUFFERING RIGHT ALONG WITH US.

>> Reporter: TONYA MOON WAS

RESCUED BY THE NATIONAL GUARD

LEAVING HER OLDER PARENTS

BEHIND BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T

COME WITH HER.

>> WHEN THE MILITARY VEHICLE

WAS AT THE END OF THE ROAD, I

KNEW TO GO AHEAD AND GO.

THEY SAID IT IS GOING TO GET

WORSE.

THEY BROUGHT ME HERE.

THAT IS THE FIRST TIME I RODE

IN THE BACK OF A MILITARY

VEHICLE OR ANYTHING.

I'M JUST GLAD TO KNOW THAT MY

FAMILY GOING TO BE OKAY.

>> Reporter: HEALTH CARE WORK

ARE ARE GOING TO SHELTERS LIKE

THIS TRYING TO GET MEDICATION

TO THOSE WHO NEED IT.

>> WE ARE STILL A FAMILY EVEN

THOUGH OUR PLACE OVER THERE IN

PRINCEVILLE MIGHT BE FLOODED.

WE ARE STILL YOUR FAMILY AND WE

HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU.

>> Reporter: SOME PEOPLE HERE

HAVE LIVED IN PRINCEVILLE HAIR

WHOLE LIVES.

IT IS HOME.

MANY DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE AFTER

FLOYD.

NOW, IT MAY BE IMPOSSIBLE TO

STAY.

>> I DON'T THINK PEOPLE OF

PRINCEVILLE SHOULD HAVE TO BEAR

GOING THROUGH THIS AGAIN.

OUR NERVES CAN'T TAKE T WE

CAN'T KEEP REBUILDING IN THE

SAME TOWN LIKE THIS.

-- OUR NERVES CAN'T TAKE IT.