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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A woman has died after the North Carolina Highway Patrol said she drove around several barricades and was swept away in the flooding that has followed heavy rains earlier this week.
It's the second apparent storm-related death in the state.
Flooding continued Thursday in more than a dozen counties in the eastern part of the state after storms dumped as much as 8 inches of rain in some places.
Local news outlets said the car on N.C. 58 was carried away by high water from Contentnea Creek about 8 p.m. Wednesday in Greene County near Stantonsburg. The woman was alone in the car, which was later found by firefighters. Her name was not immediately released.
Transportation department officials found a body Tuesday while removing debris at a bridge over the Neuse River near Smithfield. That victim's name has not been released.
Flood warnings were in effect in 16 counties.
Forecasters said flooding was occurring along the Cape Fear River in Bladen, Duplin and Pender counties. The Tar River was flooding in Greenville, Rocky Mount and Tarboro. The American Red Cross opened a shelter in Tarboro.
The Roanoke River was flooding at Roanoke Rapids while the Neuse River was bringing flooding to Goldsboro, Kinston and Smithfield. The Lumber River was also flooding in Lumberton.
Schools were closed Thursday for a second straight day in Edgecombe County. The county said on its Facebook page Wednesday that several roads were impassable and that residents on one road outside the town of Pinetops have been evacuated. The county reported nine state roads were closed in the county.
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