More than a dozen gauges that warn residents and communities in the event of dangerous flood conditions will soon be installed along several local waterways.
North Carolina Emergency Management has purchased and is installing nine new devices in several counties in Eastern North Carolina including Edgecombe, Sampson, Pitt and Wilson counties. The instruments will help officials monitor water levels and rainfall amounts in flood-prone areas. Pender and Brunswick Counties also funded four new gauges.
The devices will be added to the Flood Inundation Mapping and Alert Network (FIMAN), which includes 56 strategically placed gauges recording real-time data throughout the state. State Emergency Management Director Mike Sprayberry said in a news release “FIMAN is a powerful tool that helps us very accurately define what areas will be affected by flood waters, so emergency managers and local officials can take the appropriate actions to keep people safe.”
The network can show which buildings and homes will flood when local rivers or streams reach certain flood levels. The system was used during Hurricane Matthew to direct evacuations and resources. State Emergency Management will maintain the gauges and make the data available online and through the ReadyNC mobile app.
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