Gov. Stein talks Chantal aftermath, government funding to keep citizens safe
CONFERENCE AS WE GET NEW
INFORMATION. WE'LL LET YOU
KNOW. IT'S JUST A TRAGIC AND
HEARTBREAKING STORY. THANK YOU,
BRIAN. GOVERNOR JOSH STEIN
SURVEYING THE DAMAGE FROM SEAN
TALL IN ALAMANCE COUNTY TODAY.
HE HE USED THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE
DISASTER PLANNING THAT HE SAYS
MAY HAVE SAVED LIVES BECAUSE HE
SAYS LOCAL LEADERS WERE
THINKING AHEAD HERE WRAL'S
LAURA LESLIE WAS AT THAT EVENT
TODAY AND MET.
>> THE CITY OF MEDAN ACTUALLY
STARTED REBUILDING LAKE MICHAEL
DOWN LAST FALL. AND THEN THEY
SAW WHAT HAPPENED DURING HELENE
OFFICIALS HERE KNEW THE NEEDED
WORK, INCLUDING A NEW SPILLWAY,
A WAY TO RELIEVE PRESSURE ON
A DAM WHEN THE WATER GETS TOO
HIGH. WORK WAS ALREADY UNDERWAY
WHEN HE'LL LEAN HIT THE
MOUNTAINS LAST FALL WITH
HISTORIC LEVELS OF TORRENTIAL
RAIN. GOVERNOR JOSH STEIN SAID
THAT'S WHEN CITY ENGINEERS AND
CONTRACTORS IN MEBANE DECIDED
TO REBUILD THIS DAM HIGHER.
JUST IN CASE THEY DECIDED TO
PUT AND
>> FAR IN EXCESS OF WHAT
ANYBODY WOULD REASONABLY
CONSIDER NECESSARY. BUT THANK
GOODNESS THEY DID WORK ON THE
DAM WASN'T EVEN CLOSE TO DONE
YET. WHEN SEAN TOWLE HIT SUNDAY
NIGHT, ANOTHER EVENT WITH
HISTORIC RAIN.
>> LOCAL OFFICIALS WORRY THE
DAM MIGHT FAIL. THEY EVEN
EVACUATED SOME HOMES THAT COULD
BE FLOODED IF THE DAM BROKE.
BUT THE NEW HIGHER DAM HELD
STEIN SAYS THAT SHOWS THE VALUE
OF RESILIENCY PLANNING WE KNOW
THE STORMS ARE COMMON.
>> THEY'RE COMING WITH GREATER
FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY.
SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS MAKE
SURE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE
THIS.
CONTEMPLATES THAT KIND OF
WEATHER EVENT, LAURA LESLIE
WRAL NEWS MET IN RIGHT NOW.
CITY WORKERS ARE USING PUMPS TO
BRING THE LAKE LEVEL DOWN
BEFORE THE NEXT STORM ARRIVES
LATER THIS WEEK. STEIN SAYS
THAT THE STATE IS ALSO HELPING
THEM TO LOCATE MORE PUMPS.