Beach town in North Carolina cleans up after storm of the century

HISTORY: :: Residents of this North Carolina town describe how they were surprised by a nameless storm of the century

:: 17 September 2024

:: Carolina Beach, North Carolina

:: Duke Hagestrom, owner of the Fudgeboat

:: “I will say that it kind of surprised us. That wasn't what – you know, it's one thing when it's a named hurricane and you're tracking it for three or four days and you're watching it coming at you and the news is all about that hurricane. Everyone's battening down the hatches. That was a really big surprise to us, but in the 22 years that we've been here, I would say that that was absolutely – I can see the line on the wall in our store here – the highest water level that's ever been. So, it's crazy.”

:: “This is a once-in-a-century storm. We will recover. It's Carolina Beach, the locals will survive.”

Residents of the coastal town of Carolina Beach said they were caught off guard by the violent storm, which dumped more than 50 centimeters of rain in a short period of time.

Duke Hagestrom, owner of a local ice cream shop that was also damaged, said floodwaters were at their highest levels in 22 years.

Video footage shows the city's neighborhoods and main streets under water. A flood warning for the coast remains in place as residents wait for the water to recede.