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Damage Assessments From Yesterday’s Flood in Boone Ongoing Throughout Tuesday

By Jesse Wood

Watauga County Emergency Management Coordinator Taylor Marsh said that damage assessments of Monday’s flood in the county, primarily Boone, will take place throughout most of the day on Tuesday.

The High Country received between 3 and 6 inches of rain on Monday. Boone received 4-plus inches and Blowing Rock received more than 6 inches of rain yesterday, according to RaysWeather.com.

As shown above, Nelson Aerial Productions‘ aerial footage of yesterday’s flood puts into perspective where the flooding in Boone occurred yesterday. The impact of the flood included downed trees, power outages, totaled cars and building condemnations.

“Down around in the Hampton [Body Shop] area, it’s the worst I have ever seen, and speaking with some of those business owners down there, it’s the worst, the highest the water has ever gotten down there,” Marsh said. “I’ve talked to a few people that said it’s the worst they’ve ever seen in the Perkinsville area near 194.”

Marsh said that 40 residential structures in the Town of Boone have been temporarily condemned because of flooding. (He said he didn’t have a number to provide for commercial structures as of right now.)

“That means we shut the power off until we get an inspector to make sure it’s safe for occupants to re-enter,” Marsh said. “That’s what’s happening today. We are looking at which buildings we can cut the power back on.”

Several boat rescues occurred in the apartments in the vicinity of the Hampton area. Marsh said that he isn’t aware of any injuries associated with these rescues. “Just people who couldn’t either walk or drive out, and we went in there with a boat,” Marsh said.

Flooding occurred outside of town limits in Watauga County, such as in Meat Camp and Cove Creek, Marsh said, but “nothing to the extent” of what the town received. “The town got it the worst,” he replied.

The regional American Red Cross opened an emergency shelter overnight. On early Tuesday afternoon, the shelter closed as everyone that stayed there last night either returned home or had another place to stay. 

The Watauga County Emergency Management is asking for property owners whose home or business was damaged in Monday’s flood to send an email with pictures of flooding to Wataugacountyem@gmail.com.

See photos and video of yesterday’s flood and the aftermath below.

Check out yesterday’s story that features more video from around town, including footage of a car floating with the current of flooded waters in the Boone Mall parking lot.

Last week, High Country Press published an in-depth story about the flooding problems along Kraut Creek and what are some potential solutions to alleviate the recurring damage.

Video by Jeff Templeton

Boone mall parking lot on Tuesday morning with a picture of the car that was floating across the parking lot yesterday.

The barber shop owner cleaning out and washing off equipment on Tuesday morning.
Apartment complex where barber shop is located Lower level of apartments flooded with about a foot of water.
Inside the barber shop
Building condemned notice at 162 Boone Docks. Photos of inside the building below:

Boone Docks Dance Studio luckily didn’t have too much water damage.  The image below shows about a inch of water damage inside the studio.

The debris on the fence behind Hampton Body Shop shows how high the water was on Monday.
Suburban Propane area. The water moved the gas tanks around. 
floating around
Inside Hampton Body Shop. Notice the water line on the vending machines.