Orange County continues to recover from weekend flooding, and officials are trying to secure relief funding for those displaced.
At a news conference today, Chapel Hill officials said close to 130 residences are unlivable due to water damage from weekend rain. It's unclear when, or if, people who lived in those units can go back home. Jim Groves, the emergency Services Coordinator for Orange County, says authorities are trying to get them help.
"Orange County is currently under a state of emergency," Groves says. "That gives us a pathway to request the state and potentially federal assistance if it becomes available. We have damage assessment teams out right now that are surveying the properties and trying to come up with the numbers to find out if we do qualify"
The Red Cross continues to operate a shelter at Smith Middle School in Chapel Hill.
"Our shelter at the peak had 41 people staying there," Groves said. "Again our public health, social services, American Red Cross, are coordinating, taking care of them. But we do encourage folks if you have vacant properties that you would like to offer to help house these people please contact our social services department."
You can do that by calling 919.245.2800.
Forecasts predict heavy rain in the area ending by tomorrow.
