Tropical Depression Chantal Unleashes Flash Flood Chaos in North Carolina

North Carolina was left reeling Sunday night after Tropical Depression Chantal tore through the state, triggering widespread flash floods, road collapses, and evacuations in multiple counties. The storm made landfall near Litchfield Beach, South Carolina, before sweeping into central North Carolina, dumping as much as nine inches of rain within 24 hours in some areas.

The deluge prompted the National Weather Service (NWS) to issue a flash flood warning by Sunday afternoon. In response, the Town of Chapel Hill began issuing emergency alerts as floodwaters rapidly rose. By nightfall, local authorities were engaged in active rescues, particularly at Camelot Village on South Estes Drive, where flash flooding trapped residents inside their homes.

According to official updates released near midnight, over 60 people had to be evacuated across Chapel Hill and neighboring areas. First responders rescued and relocated 20 individuals from Camelot Village. Meanwhile, 18 residents from the 900 Willow apartment complex at University Place mall were shifted to temporary shelters. Additional evacuations included two residents from Bolinwood Condominiums, two from Booker Creek Townhouse Apartments, and 21 from Airport Gardens near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

The situation escalated in other parts of Orange County as well. Around 6:49 p.m., the Orange County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook warning residents of rising waters and advising them to avoid travel through Churton Street, Old NC Highway 86, and the Ashbury apartments near the Alamance County line. Similarly, the Town of Hillsborough reported town-wide flooding and advised against all non-essential travel.

Despite the scale of flooding, no injuries or fatalities have been reported as of Monday morning.

In neighboring Chatham County, State Highway 902 collapsed near Chatham Road, submerging more than 100 roads. Authorities expressed concern over the Lake Michael Dam near the city of Mebane, which prompted a voluntary evacuation due to the potential for structural failure. Compounding the crisis, the city’s water treatment plant lost power amid the chaos.

One of the most dramatic developments was the surge of the Eno River near Durham, which swelled by 24 feet in under 12 hours, peaking at over 25 feet early Monday — surpassing significant flood levels.

By Monday morning, around 28,000 people across Alamance, Orange, and Durham counties were left without power as utility crews rushed to restore services.

Officials continue to monitor river levels and dam integrity as storm remnants move northeastward, bringing the threat of further rainfall.