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New evacuations ordered because of Florence flooding

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper greets volunteers with NC Baptists on Missions and others at Hyde Baptist Church, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Lumberton, N.C. Cooper thanked volunteers for their time and efforts. "You aren't just touching lives with food, it's your love you're offering," Cooper said to volunteers. (Melissa Sue Gerrits/The Fayetteville Observer via AP)
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper greets volunteers with NC Baptists on Missions and others at Hyde Baptist Church, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Lumberton, N.C. Cooper thanked volunteers for their time and efforts. "You aren't just touching lives with food, it's your love you're offering," Cooper said to volunteers. (Melissa Sue Gerrits/The Fayetteville Observer via AP) North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper greets volunteers with NC Baptists on Missions and others at Hyde Baptist Church, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Lumberton, N.C. Cooper thanked volunteers for their time and efforts. "You aren't just touching lives with food, it's your love you're offering," Cooper said to volunteers. (Melissa Sue Gerrits/The Fayetteville Observer via AP)

By Associated Press 5 min read

WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) – A new round of evacuations was ordered in South Carolina as the trillions of gallons of water dumped by Hurricane Florence meanders to the sea, raising river levels and threatening more destruction.

With the crisis slowly moving to South Carolina, emergency managers on Friday ordered about 500 people to flee homes along the Lynches River. The National Weather Service said the river could reach record flood levels late Saturday or early Sunday, and shelters are open.

Officials downstream sounded dire alarms, pointing out the property destruction and environmental disasters left in Florence’s wake.

“Although the winds are gone and the rain is not falling, the water is still there and the worst is still to come in the Pee Dee,” South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said Friday, referring to the eastern part of the state.

Georgetown County Administrator Sel Hemingway warned the area may see a flood like it has never seen before. “We’re at the end of the line of all waters to come down,” he said.