River of Tears
by Angela Burrus, CONSOLIDATED MEDIA GROUP
PRINCEVILLE Although water is gradually receding in Princeville, no one is certain when the town will get back to normal.
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Flooding caused by Hurricane Floyd has devastated towns in eastern North Carolina. Above, a Princeville
woman rests in an emergency shelter. Estimates of damage to property in the flood-ravaged areas is expected to soar into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
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"The water has receded," county manager Joe Durham said. "But we still are denying access." The massive flood came as a surprise to resident of
the predominantly black town when it's 3-mile dike, built over 30-years ago to keep water away from the Tar River, suddenly broke from the force of Hurricane Floyd.
The flood left some areas as low as 33 feet above sea level, barely above the normal level of the Tar River. The flood level at Princeville from Sept. 18 to 21 feet, nearly 10 feet higher than any level recorded this
century enough to loosen coffins from cemeteries. Nearly 100 were recovered as of Monday. Durham commended the National Guard and the Coast Guard for working around the clock to pump
out flood water and finding hazardous material, such as gas tanks and propane. More than 100 propane tanks, 2,800 underground gas tanks and more than 20,000 other fuel tanks surfaced from the flood.
The National Guard also aided flood victims in shelters by returning pets to their families, providing hot meals, and refilling prescriptions.
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Charlotte organizations help relief effort. Above, a survivor holds his dog as National Guard
soldiers carry his possessions.
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"Every aspect of cooperation you can imagine is going on," American Red Cross volunteer Merle Glenn said. "Volunteers identified a little niche they
(needed) to do and they jumped right in." AT&T and Sprint provided phone cards and phone banks with unlimited local calls to shelters so residents can notify relatives.
"We have given away 1,600 phone cards in the Tarboro area," said Tom Matthews, spokesperson of Sprint. "We're committed to providing services. We don't want people to suffer any more than they
have to." Matthews said dozens of Sprint employees lost their homes and cars. As a result, Sprint will offer free phone jacks to customers once they return to their homes.
Meanwhile, several local organizations have begun taking Princeville under its wing through its recovery. The North Carolina Institute of Minority Economic Development, who has been working with
the town for the past four years to build up a tourism site, is holding a donation drive for residents. "The Institute's strong ties to the community will be a real benefit to getting some things done
down there," Mike Crum from Good Works said. "Residents who barely had anything before the storm, now have nothing. They need help." The city of Cary unanimously voted to adopt the town.
"We always tried to help people in times of needs," Cary councilmen Melba Sparrow said. "People were there for us when Fran hit. "It's the human thing to do."
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