ELIZABETHTOWN — Dawn’s early light Saturday showed overnight damage to Bladen County, and the appearance is not likely to get better.

“There’s a lot more trees on the road, it’s raining, constantly raining,” Sheriff Jim McVicker said about 9:15. “We’re having problems with radios and generators.

“I think it will get a lot worse. The water is rising.”

Florence was downgraded late Friday afternoon from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm. The storm had been a Cat 4 while in the Atlantic during the week, finally making landfall at 7:15 a.m. Friday morning near Wrightsville Beach.

It’s been a slow slog since, moving southwesterly into South Carolina and leaving eastern and southeastern North Carolina pummeled by rain bands.

The hospital in Elizabethtown lost its generator power Friday afternoon. Patients were evacuated by a convoy of ambulances from Cape Fear Valley Health, which is based in Fayetteville but has hospital branches throughout the region.

McVicker said he was not yet aware of any water rescues.

All of Bladen County is under a flash flood warning through 4 p.m., the National Weather Service said.

A curfew is in effect from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.

National Weather Service
The National Weather Service in Wilmington says Bladen County is under a flash flood watch through 4 p.m. Saturday.
https://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_flashflood.jpgNational Weather Service
The National Weather Service in Wilmington says Bladen County is under a flash flood watch through 4 p.m. Saturday.

Chrysta Carroll and Alan Wooten

Bladen Journal

Chrysta Carroll can be reached at 910-862-4163 or ccarroll@bladenjournal.com. Alan Wooten can be reached at 910-247-9132 or awooten@bladenjournal.com. Twitter: @alanwooten19.