because I have animals. Floyd literally moved my house off of the foundation. I was surrounded by water and the three roads leading to the house were flooded and flowing like rivers and fast. I found out that lot, according to the USACE is the highest elevation in that county. I had no electricity for six days. I sat in the front yard and waved at the National Guard troops going and coming down the road in front of my house. They were rescuing people and riding in these big track propelled things- that I would love to know the name of, that looked like tanks but were not tanks...?? Carrying people out of a river that had them on their housetops, those that had refused to evacuate based on their "knowledge of prior storms." I got to see livestock and lots of it; pigs, turkeys and chickens, float by. While a man floating on deck that had washed away from some house was using it as a boat to rescue pets of those who had left and couldn't come back. Oh and did I mention the snakes and the mounds of floating fire ants? Floyd was a doozie but Floyd is also history. Sandy is still "in play." I hope the meteorologists are all wrong. I am hoping for the best but preparing for whatever ... that's life. That storm had me considering myself lucky. I do think though, that no two storms are ever alike, weather is just too dynamic. I guess that is why I am so fascinated by clouds and the weather. Let's compare notes after Sandy has fizzled out.
The Neuse River, Roanoke River, Waccamaw River, and New River exceeded 500-year flood levels, although damage was lower in these areas (compared to the Tar River) because of lower population densities. Because most of the Cape Fear River basin was west of the peak rainfall areas, the city of Wilmington was spared the worst flooding despite having the highest localized rainfall; however, the Northeast Cape Fear River (a tributary) did exceed 500-year flood levels. Of the state's eastern rivers, only the Lumber River escaped catastrophic flooding
Hurricane Floyd rainfall totals
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Floyd#North_Carolina