Trapped on car roof by rising floodwater, 2 die after being swept away in North Carolina
Two people died after their vehicle was swept off a flooded road and into a ditch in Nash County, North Carolina. Officers attempted a rescue, but both victims were carried away by fast-moving water.
Flooding in Spring Hope, North Carolina on Aug 6 killed two people who were swept away. (Photo credit: Nash County Sheriff's Office/Facebook.
Two people were killed in Nash County, North Carolina, on Wednesday after their vehicle was swept off the road and into floodwaters during a period of heavy rain and dangerous runoff.
Officers were dispatched to a flooded stretch of Highway 581 in Spring Hope, which is located about 40 miles northeast of Raleigh, around 2:14 p.m. EDT, where they found a vehicle partially submerged in a ditch more than 6 feet deep filled with fast-moving water, according to a press release from the Spring Hope Police Department.
A female occupant had climbed onto the roof while a male remained inside. Officers instructed them to stay in place, but the woman fell into the water. Lt. Leary from Spring Hope Police attempted a rescue but was swept downstream and later rescued. The male occupant also entered the water and was swept away.
Both victims were later recovered downstream during search efforts involving multiple local agencies and swift water rescue teams. They were identified as 24-year-old Lottie Alston and 55-year-old Raymond Evans Jr., both from Louisburg, North Carolina.
“This vehicle was swept off the right side of the road and went about 30 to 35 yards into a ravine or ditch area,” Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone said. “One of the occupants fell into the water. [An officer] risked his own life trying to go out and save these two individuals. He was rescued, but both occupants were ultimately found deceased.”
Over 9 inches of rain fell in parts of North Carolina on Wednesday. The deadly flooding came as a stalled front and waves of low pressure dumped heavy rain across parts of the Southeast, with more storms in the forecast. Sheriff Stone urged drivers to take rising water seriously: “If you see that there’s water going across the road and you cannot see the yellow line — turn around, don’t drown. It’s very simple.”
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