ROCKINGHAM– With the rains from Hurricane Matthew two years ago, a low-lying section of East Broad Avenue was under water, threatening several businesses.
Derby Fields, owner of Derby Tailory, said the basement of her building was flooded but the water stopped at the door and never entered her shop.
With rainfall totals of more than 10 inches predicted for Richmond County during Hurricane Florence in the coming days, Fields is starting to make preparations.
“I’m going to put some plastic down and put sandbags in front of the door,” she said.
On Wednesday, she had four bags of sand and said she planned to get more.
Several dresses in the shop hang to the floor and Fields said she will make sure they’re higher up to keep them from being damaged.
“I’m just praying – believing in God – it don’t come in this year,” she said.
Nick Murphy, owner of Nick’s 4X4 Performance Center, said he’s more prepared for this storm.
“We probably lost a couple of grand worth of stuff on the (garage) floor (during Matthew),” he said.
Prior to the storm season, Murphy said he had a few trees taken down to make sure they wouldn’t damage his building.
While he’s expecting the garage to flood again, Murphy said the showroom, which sits up several feet higher, should be fine.
Aside from the road retaining water, Falling Creek runs directly behind those businesses.
During Matthew, Murphy said he thought the flooding— which was four feet over the creek bank — would have damaged the foundation, taking out the back wall. He was glad to see it didn’t.
Murphy said Robert Lee’s shop, Rockingham Guns and Ammo, stands to be hit the worst as it’s actually below ground level.
“I’ve got my gear ready,” he said. “I’m ready to help others.”
Murphy has chainsaws prepped for cutting trees that may fall across roads or on houses.
As for Fields, she is closing her shop Thursday afternoon and will wait to see what happens.
“All we can do,” she said, “is make preparations and trust God.”
