SC Couple Died Running Generator Inside House
Death toll at 13, as National Hurricane Center warns of 'catastrophic' flooding
Posted Sep 16, 2018 9:03 AM CDT
A downed tree uprooted by Hurricane Florence lies next to homes in New Bern, NC, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
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(Newser) – A South Carolina couple died not from the wrath of Florence, but rather from carbon monoxide poisoning after running a generator inside their home, reports the AP. Horry County Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard said 63-year-old Mark Carter King and 61-year-old Debra Collins Rion were found in a Loris home Saturday afternoon, but they likely died the day before as the heavy rains and winds from the storm were moving onshore. The death toll now stands at 13, reports the AP. Florence has weakened into a tropical depression but flash flooding and major river flooding are expected to continue over significant portions of the Carolinas. Elsewhere in storm-related developments:
The National Hurricane Center says in its 5am update Sunday that excessive rain is still being dumped in North Carolina and the effect is expected to be "catastrophic." An elevated risk of landslides is now expected in western North Carolina.
Already, more than 2 feet of rain has fallen in places, and forecasters are saying there could be an additional 1.5 feet before Sunday is out. "Floodwaters are rising, and if you aren't watching for them, you are risking your life," Gov. Roy Cooper said. Cooper's ASL interpreter has become something of a "storm celebrity," notes the News & Observer.
Forecasters say heavy rains also are expected early in the week in parts of West Virginia and the west-central portion of Virginia. Both states also are at a risk of dangerous flash floods and river flooding.
At 5am Sunday, Florence was about 20 miles southwest of Columbia, SC. It has top sustained winds of 35mph and is moving west at 8mph. CNN has a storm tracker here.
(Read more Hurricane Florence stories.)