Community comes together to assist those who need it most

Flood waters remained waist-deep in some areas across North Carolina on Saturday, including in the city of Lumberton.
Posted 10/15/2016, 10:53:35 PM Updated 9/23/2025, 7:51:31 PM

KINSTON, THANK YOU.

>>> FLOOD WATERS WAIST DEEP IN

SOME COMMUNITIES TONIGHT.

THE LUMBER RIVER RECEDING AT A

FOOT A DAY.

IT WAS ONE OF THE HARDEST HIT

BY HURMDZ.

RESIDENTS ARE -- HURRICANE

MATTHEW.

RESIDENTS ARE COPING AS ARMIES

OF VOLUNTEERS MOVE IN TO HELP

THE COMMUNITY.

>> IN LUMBERTON THEY TAKE THE

PHRASE BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY

SERIOUSLY.

>> THE SECOND ONE HERE WITH THE

FENCE AROUND IT.

>> DWIGHT WATCHES FROM THE

SHORELINE AS HIS BROTHER AND

NEIGHBOR CHECK OUT HOMES WAIST

DEEP IN WATER.

>> WATER'S UP REAL HIGH.

>> LIKE MANY HE'S LIVED HERE

HIS WHOLE LIFE AND NEVER SEEN

THE ALMOST BER RIVER LASH OUT

LIKE THIS.

>> WHO DO YOU LEAN ON?

>> AS FAR AS LIKE IT IS SO FAR

IT'S BEEN HERE YOU LEAN ON ONE

ANOTHER IS THE WAY IT'S BEEN.

>> HERE IT'S NEIGHBORS HELPING

NEIGHBORS.

>> CAN YOU GET BACK HERE?

>> BUT ON JUST ABOUT ANY STREET

CORNER YOU'LL SEE STRANGERS

REACHES OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.

>> TAKE A BREAK.

>> POP-UP CHARITY STOPS OFFER

HOT MEALS AND COLD DRINKS.

>> WE KNOW THIS COULD BE US.

WE WERE FORTUNATE THE STORM WAS

ONE MILE THE OTHER DIRECTION.

>> BRINGING FOOD AND HELPING

OUT.

>> SMALL CHURCHES ARE LEANING

IN.

AND LIFTING UP THOSE IN NEED.

>> I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE

DEVASTATING FOR ME WHEN I GO

HOME.

WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GO

HOME.

>> THERE ARE LARGE OPERATIONS

WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK.

>> TYING TO GET TO 500 --

TRYING TO GET TO 500 RIGHT NOW.

WE MIGHT MAKE IT SOON.

>> I TRY TO GET OUT EVERY DAY

AND GET AS MUCH WATER AS I CAN

JUST TO HAVE BECAUSE THEY'RE

SAYING TWO TO FOUR WEEKS BEFORE

WE GET WATER.

>> RESIDENTS ARE GRATEFUL BUT

WORRY IT MIGHT NOT LAST.

>> YOU NEVER KNOW.

THEY MAY BE HERE THIS WEEK AND

MAY NOT BE NEXT WEEK.

>> THEY'RE TRYING TO REMAIN

OPTIMISTIC BUT REMEMBER THEY'VE

SEEN HOW QUICKLY THEIR LUCK CAN

RISE AND FALL.

JULIA SIMS WRAL NEWS ROBESON

COUNTY.