Hurricane Florence Doubles Down on Robeson County
Susan Hedgepeth is assisted along with her dog Cooper by members of the U.S. Coast Guard in Lumberton, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, following flooding from Hurricane Florence. Hedgepeth was moved to higher ground. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)
To our UNC Pembroke family, our Pembroke community, and our neighbors around Robeson county, the last couple of weeks have been a crucial reminder of the power of nature and fragility of our local infrastructure.
It has been only 2 years since the devastating effects of Hurricane Matthew were felt, not only on this campus, but around majority of Robeson County. Many residents still recovering from Matthew braced for the impact of Florence.
Approximately 55,000 homes still remain without power in North Carolina and nearly a thousand roads are still unaccessible because of the flooding.
First responders came to campus to assess the damage and help with campus recovery efforts.
20 students, including the SGA President remained on campus during the hurricane and even more students remained in off campus housing.
Many roads and interstates within the Carolinas still remained closed as flooding still remains a threat to much of the local community.
Rivers such as the Cape Fear river have not fully crested.
UNC Pembroke sustained damage to multiple places around campus including: North and Belk residence halls, Old Main and The Quad.
“As we did after Hurricane Matthew, we will come back stronger. We will show our community what it means to be strong, what it means to be Brave. Our university has much to be proud of and much yet to accomplish. We will not forget this experience; it will make us ever more determined to fulfill our mission and be the economic engine for southeastern North Carolina,” Chancellor Robin Cummings said.
Students returned to classes Tuesday this week after a nearly two week long break due to the damage UNC Pembroke sustained during Hurricane Florence.
The academic calendar has been extended one full week and classes will now end Friday, December 7, 2018.
If any faculty members or students are suffering from emotional stress due to the natural disaster, you can call the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs” to 66746 to get in touch with a crisis counselor.
Landscapers replace sod in the previously flooded quad area at UNCP.
PN Photo/ Tyana Morris
NCDOT tweeted this photo of a flooded street.
The tweet warned:
"Just because rain isn't falling, doesn't mean waters aren't rising. New closures are expected today. Remember to NEVER try and drive through flooded roads."
Flood damage on the Quad at UNCP.
Photo contributed by Jennifer Parker, a student at UNCP.
Maura Walbourne sits in the front of a canoe looking in at her flooded Long Avenue home as David Covington wades through the wreckage in Conway, S.C. Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018.
Photo courtesy of AP Newswire.
