Chapel Hill businesses cleaning up after Tropical Depression Chantal
ANIMALS TO GO IN SPRING LAKE
ERIC MILLER,
WRAL NEWS.
>> WE TRAVEL COMMUNITIES
PICKING UP THE PIECES IN
CLEANING UP AFTER THE
DEVASTATING FLOODING THAT CAME
THROUGH THAT AREA. HOMES AND
BUSINESSES FLOODED CARS COVER
WITH WATER. WILLIE DANLEY HAS
BEEN IN CHAPEL HILL JOINS US
LIVE FROM EAST CAPE CORAL,
CROSSING SHOPPING CENTER.
WELL, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING THERE
TONIGHT?
>> WELL, JOE, JUST A COUPLE OF
DAYS AGO, THIS ENTIRE PARKING
LOT WAS COMPLETELY UNDERWATER.
IT'S 10 O'CLOCK NOW. AND
THERE'S STILL SOME CREWS THAT
ARE OUT HERE SWEEPING THIS
PARKING LOT. I SPOKE TO PEOPLE
WHO OWN BUSINESSES HERE AND WHO
ARE WORKING IN THE SHOPPING
CENTER. AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE,
IT'S A DEVASTATING SITUATION.
BUT THEY SAID THAT THIS IS
REALLY BROUGHT OUT THE BEST OF
THIS COMMUNITY.
>> CARS COVERED IN MUD. CLEANUP
CREWS CATCHING THEIR BREATH.
THIS IS EAST GATE CROSSING 2
DAYS AFTER TROPICAL DEPRESSION
SCHENN TALL CAUSED DEVASTATING
FLOODING IN CHAPEL HILL.
WE HAVE WE'VE SEEN SOME
FLOODING IN THE PAST.
>> BUT WE'VE NEVER SEEN
ANYTHING LIKE THIS. THIS WAS A
5 FEET INSIDE THE SHOP. SO IT
LITERALLY PICKED UP EVERYTHING
IN TURN IT ALL OVER CHAT
PICKENS IS THE GENERAL MANAGER
OF GREAT OUTDOOR PROVISIONS.
EMPLOYEES CLEANING UP THE STORE
HAD TO MASK UP TO PROTECT
THEMSELVES FROM THE OWNERS THAT
THE FLOOD WATERS LEFT BEHIND.
>> EVERY STORE FRONT HERE AT
EASTGATE IS TAKING A DIFFERENT
APPROACH TO THE CLEANING
PROCESS.
>> FOOD, SAFETY AND SANITATION
BEING IN THE RESTAURANT
BUSINESS IS OUR UTMOST
PRIORITY. SO IMMEDIATELY
DISCARDING ALL PERISHABLE FOOD
TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S OUT OF
THE BUILDING. WE'RE ELIMINATING
ANY PESTS OR SANITATION ISSUES
BEYOND THE FLOODING. CHAPEL
HILL OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN ON THE
GROUND ASSESSING THE DAMAGE
FOR THEMSELVES. SOME EVEN
OFFERING A HAND. WE'VE BEEN
DOLING OUT LOTS OF SWEATY HUGS
HERE FROM THE SHOP. AS PEOPLE
STOPPED BY TO CHECK ON US TO
SEE IF WE'RE OKAY.
>> WE'VE HAD A LOT OF VOLUNTEER
LABOR FROM OUR CUSTOMERS.
THEY'VE BEEN WILLING TO BRING
THEIR TOOLS, PUT ON THEIR WORK
GLOVES, GET TO WORK SWITCHES,
BEEN KIND OF COOL.
>> SNOOZE AM EATERY, REGIONAL
MANAGER MEGAN CLEARY SAYS IT'S
HARD TO ESTIMATE HOW LONG THIS
CLEANUP PROCESS WILL TAKE.
BUT ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, THIS
DEVASTATING FLOODING HAS MADE
THE COMMUNITY RALLY AROUND ONE
ANOTHER. IT REALLY DOES BRING
THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER SHOWS
THAT A CHAPEL HILL.
>> NO MATTER IF YOU'RE 68
RESTAURANTS, BIG LIKE A SORE,
SINGLE PROPRIETOR, YOU KNOW,
SMALLER SHOE STORE LIKE WERE
HERE TO COME TOGETHER. WE
RECOGNIZE CHAPEL HILL IS A
SMALL TOWN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> CREWS HAVE BEEN OUT HERE AT
THIS PLAZA, DOING EVERYTHING
FROM DEMOLITION INSIDE OF
STORES TO DRUG AWAY GOODS THAT
WERE ABLE TO BE SALVAGED.
BUT THEY TELL US THAT THEY
STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO