October 22, 2018. Lumberton NC. The parking lot of West Lumberton Baptist was destroyed by the flood waters. Lumberton, North Carolina is the seat of one of the poorest counties in the nation. In 2016, it was catastrophically flooded due to Hurricane Matthew creating a first crop of people who fled their homes permanently, and left hundreds who were hanging on by a thread financially and physically as they prayed for FEMA aid and other donations to help them rebuild and suffered from systemic neglect. Just as the community finally began to recover, Hurricane Florence hit, causing flooding in many of the exact same places and beyond. Now in the areas hardest hit by the flooding families are struggling to recover and grappling with the new reality of the rising waters and what it means for their home.
October 22, 2018. Maxton NC. Renovations in progress at French and Thomas McGirt's home in Maxton, a badly hit part of the county.
October 23, 2018. Lumberton NC. Jamie Brewer's son peers at the door of their trailer near Alamac road.
October 23, 2018. Lumberton NC. A young man crosses the Lumber River on the railroad tracks. The intersection of the river and the railroad were a arteries that created growth and development in places like Lumberton, NC. Now climate change is threatening to drown this city despite the fact that its an hour from the coast.
October 25, 2018. Lumberton NC. Alicia Huggings and her daughter Na-Vaya at home in Lumberton NC. Alicia and her family were flooded and ended up in emergency shelters during both storms. Alicia, who is pregnant and battling thyroid cancer, said after a week in the shelter this time she decided she would rather live in her damaged home for the health and safety of her family because conditions were so bad.
October 24, 2018. Lumberton NC. JV football players pray at the end of practice at Lumberton High School, which was out of class for about a month after the storm.
October 20, 2018. Lumberton NC. Aid distribution in West Lumberton.
October 21, 2018. Lumberton NC. Lauren Herring and her daughters walk towards an aid distribution center at West Lumberton Baptist, a church that was flooded during both storms.
October 23, 2018. Lumberton NC. A pool of flood waters on the west side of the tracks remains nearly 6 weeks after the floods.
October 24, 2018. Lumberton NC. A view of the lumber river near downtown lumberton.
October 24, 2018. Lumberton NC. A view of the lumber river near downtown lumberton.
October 21, 2018. Lumberton NC. Priscilla Mckindley poses for a portrait at First Baptist church of Lumberton, where the West Lumberton congregation is holding services until their church can be fixed.
October 20, 2018. Lumberton NC. Reverend Rick Foreman of the West Lumberton Baptist Church.
October 20, 2018. Lumberton NC. Jamie Brewer, who was affected by the flooding near Alamac road, poses for a photo with his daughter.
October 20, 2018. Lumberton NC. Alfred Hunt poses for a portrait.
October 20, 2018. Lumberton NC. Gerald Huggins and his daughter Na-Vaya.
