

000 

WGUS72 KRAH 271256

FFSRAH

NCZ086-088-271400-



FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC

845 AM EDT TUE MAY 27 2003



...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ROCKFISH CREEK NEAR THE 

BORDER BETWEEN HOKE AND CUMBERLAND COUNTIES TO HOPE MILLS THROUGH 

1000 AM THIS MORNING...



BOTH THE MCLAUGHLAN LAKES DAM AT ROCKFISH ROAD IN HOKE COUNTY AND 

THE UPCHURCHES POND DAM IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY FAILED EARLIER THIS 

MORNING. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY IS REPORTING THAT 

WATER LEVELS IN UPCHURCHES POND HAVE FALLEN 6 FEET SINCE THE DAM 

BURST. FLOODING BELOW UPCHURCHES POND DOWNSTREAM TO HOPE MILLS 

CONTINUES CAUSING A FEW ROAD CLOSURES HOWEVER REPORTS ARE THAT THE 

WORST OF THE FLOODING IS OVER ALONG ROCKFISH CREEK AROUND HOPE 

MILLS. DESPITE THE FACT THAT WATER LEVELS ARE SLOWLY FALLING THE 

CREEK REMAINS VERY HIGH AND DANGEROUS.  



PERSONS LIVING ALONG THE CREEK DOWNSTREAM FROM THE DAM SHOULD 

CONTINUE TO MONITOR WATER LEVELS. NEVER DRIVE YOUR AUTOMOBILE INTO 

AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN 

AUTOMOBILES. REMEMBER JUST 1 FOOT OF WATER CAN SWEEP YOUR VEHICLE 

OFF THE ROAD AND DOWNSTREAM.



ALSO DO NOT ALLOW CHILDREN TO PLAY ALONG THE BANKS OF SWOLLEN CREEKS 

AND STREAMS OR NEAR STORM DRAINS. FAST RUNNING WATER CAN RAPIDLY 

SWEEP SOMEONE DOWNSTREAM. ALSO KEEP IN MIND THE BANKS OF SWOLLEN 

CREEKS AND STREAMS HAVE LIKELY BEEN WEAKENED BY THE RUSHING WATER 

AND COULD COLLAPSE.



STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER 

DETAILS OR UPDATES.



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