MARION, N.C. — Remnants of Isaias dumped heavy overnight rain on western North Carolina, triggering landslides, flooded roads and water rescues from McDowell County into Burke County before streams began falling back Sunday morning.
McDowell County Emergency Management said five landslides closed parts of the N.C. 226 North corridor in the Woodlawn community. Crews also handled widespread localized flooding, overwhelmed culverts and streams that left their banks. Voluntary evacuations covered isolated low-lying areas.
McDowell County EMS director Adrienne Jones said the Emergency Operations Center opened Saturday morning ahead of the National Weather Service forecast and saw heavy bands from about 8 p.m. through 2 a.m., then another push early Sunday. The Catawba River reached its banks near Marion and spilled into some low ground. River Breeze Campground was evacuated, and floodwater covered parts of the Shiflet Marion-McDowell Airport.
Jones said Department of Transportation crews helped close unsafe roads, including Polly Sprout Road overnight and flooded stretches of Gilbert Byrd Road. By Sunday morning the emergency shelter and the operations center had closed, and officials reported no injuries and no deaths.
In neighboring Burke County, North Carolina Emergency Management deployed the Winston-Salem Fire Department swift-water team ahead of the storm. Burke County Emergency Services said a water rescue near the greenway behind Freedom High School on Sanford Drive was resolved about 8:14 a.m. Sunday, with everyone involved rescued and safe.
National Weather Service reports said swift-water teams pulled campers off a dock in waist-high water behind Freedom High School in Morganton. Across the mountains, communities also dealt with mudslides and flooded roads as the post-tropical system moved through.
McDowell officials thanked 911 telecommunicators, field responders, public works and shelter staff, and urged drivers to keep using caution around damaged roads and landslide zones even after the Emergency Operations Center stood down.
