WASHINGTON –The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urges residents returning home or in affected areas to listen to state, local and tribal officials as dangerous flooding following Hurricane Matthew impacts areas throughout the Southeast United States. People returning home should exercise extreme caution as emergency crews respond to affected areas and avoid driving through flooded roadways. 

National Weather Service experts predict that Matthew should move well east of the North Carolina coast by this afternoon and should weaken over the next 48 hours. However, an extensive and significant freshwater flood event is unfolding over northeastern South Carolina into central and eastern North Carolina. Between six to 12 inches of rain, with isolated amounts up to 20 inches, have been reported mainly from Savannah to eastern North Carolina. An additional one to three inches are possible across eastern North Carolina and southeast Virginia. Numerous rivers are expected to reach moderate to major flood levels from northeast South Carolina into central and eastern North Carolina later today. The rivers will be slow to recede, with the flooding continuing through the week.

For people who evacuated and are returning today, do so only when authorities indicate it is safe. Watch out for debris and downed power lines and avoid walking or driving through flood waters.  Flood waters may be electrically-charged from underground or downed power lines and may hide dangerous debris or places where the ground is washed away.

You are also advised to photograph damaged property in order to assist in filing an insurance claim and do what is possible to prevent further damage to property (e.g., putting a tarp on a damaged roof).

“Flash floods are the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States,” said FEMA Administrator W. Craig Fugate. “As people head back home to assess damage it is vital they do not drive through flooded roadways, avoid downed power lines, and stay off the roads to let first responders do their work.  Turn around, don’t drown.” 

Shelters remain open across the impacted states. You can download the FEMA mobile app for shelter information, disaster resources, weather alerts, and safety tips, in English and in Spanish. The app provides a customizable checklist of emergency supplies, maps of open shelters and recovery centers, disaster survival tips, and weather alerts from the National Weather Service. The app also enables users to receive push notifications reminding them to take important steps to prepare their homes and families for disasters.

After the Hurricane – Safety and Preparedness Tips as you Return to Your Home

·       Listen to local officials for updates and instructions. Return home only when authorities indicate it is safe.

·       Check-in with family and friends by texting or using social media.

·       When you return to the impacted area, watch out for debris and downed power lines.

·       Avoid flood water as it may be electrically charged from underground or downed power lines and may hide dangerous debris or places where the ground is washed away.

·       Avoid walking or driving through flood waters. Just six inches of moving water can knock you down, and fast-moving water can sweep your vehicle away.

·       Photograph the damage to your property in order to assist in filing an insurance claim.

·       Do what you can to prevent further damage to your property (e.g., putting a tarp on a damaged roof), as insurance may not cover additional damage that occurs after the storm.

File an Insurance Claim then Register with FEMA (or for Federal Assistance)

·        Contact your insurance company and file a claim. Get your company’s contact information online at the Department of Insurance for the state where the damage occurred.

·        If you have flood insurance questions call 800-621-3362 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT and select option two. Call center staff are available to assist with information regarding your policy, offer technical flood guidance to aid in recovery and answer other flood insurance questions. You can be transferred to your insurance carrier for additional assistance if you have further questions.

·        For those in Georgia and Florida who have been affected by Hurricane Matthew, you can pre-register for federal disaster assistance at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362. Lines are open every day from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT. Survivors who use TTY may call 800-462-7585.

Communications

If you live in areas affected by Hurricane Matthew or know someone in those areas, social media sites like Facebook or Twitter are good way to let friends and family know you’re safe or to inquire about your loved ones.

However, the National Coordinating Center recommends keeping your calls to the minimum and to using several alternative communication methods as networks in the area may become congested.  People in the emergency area should still call 9-1-1 if they need emergency services.

Please keep in mind a few recommended best practices for placing calls during a large emergency:

1. Limit non-emergency phone calls.
2. Keep all phone calls brief.
3. For non-emergency calls, try text messaging, also known as short messaging service (SMS) when using your wireless phone.
4. If possible, to reduce congestion, try a variety of communications services if you are unsuccessful in getting through with one.
5. Wait 10 seconds before redialing a call. On many wireless handsets, to re-dial a number, you simply push “send” after you’ve ended a call to redial the previous number.

To report a missing child, please contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-866-908-9570. Anyone who finds an unaccompanied child who may have been separated from his/her parents or caregivers because of the hurricane can enter basic information and/or a photo into the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s Unaccompanied Minors Registry (UMR): http://umr.missingkids.org or call 1-866-908-9570.

For more information about Hurricane Matthew, including resources deployed, imagery, and b-roll go to: http://www.fema.gov/hurricane-matthew

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.