The body of a woman reported missing in Orange County was recovered Monday afternoon by search crews, marking the county’s first fatality from Tropical Depression Chantal’s severe weather.

Earlier on Monday, Orange County Emergency Services held a press conference to share several updates on its ongoing response. At the time, authorities said no fatalities had been reported — but a Person County resident had been reported missing in the Cedar Grove community. A release from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Monday night later confirmed she had been found dead at approximately 5 p.m.

According to the release, which said the storm victim will be identified later, the woman went missing while on her way to work on Sunday night during the heavy rainfall. Orange County sheriff’s deputies initial found her unoccupied vehicle early Monday morning along Wilkerson Road near Whitetail Run, which is north of Hillsborough.

“Obviously, we hoped for a different outcome,” said Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood said, We offer our deepest condolences to the victim’s family, friends, and colleagues at this terribly sad time, and we ask for people to give them privacy as they process this tragedy.”

As the area continues assessing storm damage, the Orange County government opened a public, mass-care shelter for those on Monday displaced by the storm. Orange County Emergency Services coordinated a transition for those being helped at the Seymour Center on Sunday night to Smith Middle School at 9201 Seawell School Road in Chapel Hill. Now, anyone who has been displaced by the flash flooding caused by Tropical Depression Chantal’s rain, or those who are unable to safely remain in their homes, are encouraged to use the facility.

The site is being operated by the county’s emergency management team, social services department, Animal Services and the American Red Cross, and will available 24 hours for anyone in need.

“It’s just a place for people to get safe refuge if they’ve been displaced and work with DSS social works, case workers, and disaster survivor assistance nonprofits as well to get them started on the path to recovery,” Orange County Emergency Services Director Kirby Saunders said during the press conference. “I don’t have a definitive timeframe on how long the shelter will be open, but I’ll say we generally keep them open as long as necessary.”

As part of the relief effort, Orange County Public Transportation is available to provide transit to the shelter. Those in need of a ride can call 919-245-2004 to request one and coordinate a pick-up.

The county said at Smith Middle, pets are welcome as long as certain guidelines are followed. Residents must bring proof of full vaccination for their pets, a photo of the pet’s owner and a supply of the pet’s food — adding there is a chance pets could be housed in a separate area from their owners.

During Monday’s media availability, Saunders said around half a dozen injuries had been reported from the severe flooding and storm damage, but first responders’ work helped prevent many more. The emergency services director detailed how one neighborhood, the Lake Orange community north of Hillsborough, is isolated as of Monday afternoon due to a road below the dam suffering “catastrophic damage.” Saunders said his crews are in touch with the residents there and everyone can get out on foot, while the North Carolina Department of Transportation creates a plan to make emergency repairs to the road.

The county’s 911 call center fielded roughly 8,000 calls from 7 p.m. Sunday to 3 a.m. Monday, according to Saunders, most of which were about flooding, storm damage and related dangers. The county’s staff and regional partners conducted more than 60 swift water rescues, many of which happened Sunday night and one from Monday morning from a vehicle that drove into a flooded roadway.

“Our teams really go incident by incident, prioritization of greatest need first,” Saunders said, “and that’s what we did yesterday — conducting those rescues swiftly, professionally, and without regard to their own personal safety.

“Any water rescue is dangerous and inherently challenging itself,” he added. “Doing so in the dark, while the rain is coming down with such force as it was yesterday is even more challenging, and so we send strong applause and appreciation to all of our first response partners throughout Orange County. I don’t know, personally, of a fire department in Orange County that did not respond to a water-related incident yesterday or [overnight].”

Saunders asked residents who wish to report non-emergency damage to share that through the county’s webpage, and said emergency services is establishing a public information line residents can call to get more updates on the ongoing response or questions around resources.

 

Editor’s Note: This story initially said Orange County was reporting no fatalities from Sunday’s storm. It has since been updated to reflect the Orange County Sheriff’s Office’s confirmation of finding the missing, deceased woman.

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