LAURINBURG — State, county, and local officials will be taking a bus tour around Scotland County on Tuesday, but it’s an all-business trip — and that business will be to survey the numerous areas of standing water that has plagued the county since Hurricane Florence in September.

The N.C. Department of Transportation, State Sen. Tom McInnis, County Manager Kevin Patterson, Scotland County commissioners, Soil and Water representatives and others will get a close-up look at the places most affected by storm damage.

Hurricane Florence dropped more than 30 inches of rain in parts of southeastern North Carolina — Scotland County received about 20 inches the weekend of Sept. 15-16 — left more than 30 dead and hundreds of thousands without power. Adding Tropical Storm Michael a month later and consistent rains to the mix since has the county waterlogged nearly five months later.

Though the community has pulled together with held from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration, many families remain displaced because of storm damage. Standing water is still a serious issue, which led to an onslaught of mosquitoes and frogs in the area last fall.

The county conquered one of those problems, giving out larvacide tablets and spraying the most populated areas for the mosquitoes. In some places, the standing water keeps some residents from being able to fix or live in their homes.

“We are receiving constant complaints about standing water throughout southeastern North Carolina,” said Patterson. “This meeting is bringing officials together to talk about what can be done and how to prevent it from happening again.”

He added that more invitations will be given to local officials and representatives.

The bus tour will start at 10 a.m. and a discussion meeting will follow at 11 a.m. The press briefing will be at the Emergency Operation Center, 1425-1477 X Way Road, at 1 p.m. in Laurinburg.

Jael Pembrick can be reached at 910-506-3169 or [email protected].

Patterson
https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_Kevin-Patterson.jpgPatterson

Jael Pembrick

Staff writer