North Carolina flooding: Body found in swollen river, road closures reported

Residents in North Carolina are keeping an eye on rising rivers Tuesday after a storm system socked the state with its worst rainfall since Hurricane Matthew last year.

The heavy rainfall caused flooding in the state's capital and downstream waters were rising along the Neuse River near Clayton and Smithfield, in addition to the Tar River in Tarboro and Greenville.

Firefighters in Raleigh used inflatable rafts to rescued two people and a dog stranded in a home and four people stranded in another apartment on Tuesday, Battalion Chief Jeff Harrison told the Associated Press. In Smithfield, a body was found in the Neuse River by a crew cleaning storm debris Tuesday, but it wasn't immediately clear if the death was caused by the weather.

"We know floodwaters can be deadly and I urge everyone to be cautious and stay safe," Gov. Roy Cooper said in a news release.

The National Weather Service said more than 8 inches had fallen in areas near Raleigh by Tuesday morning before the storm system passed and the sun came out. Flood warnings however remain in effect and river gauges suggest rivers will crest above flood stage. Forecasters however expect the rivers to remain below the levels caused by Matthew.

Duke Energy reported Tuesday afternoon that it had restored power to all but about 1,000 customers who lost it in North and South Carolina.

State transportation officials reported more than 100 road closures around the state Tuesday, but some were reopening in the afternoon.

A creek overflowed its banks and flooded streets and parking lots near Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh, WRAL reported. The mall was closed in the morning, but some department stores reopened after the waterway began to recede.

In the town of Monroe, located southeast of Charlotte crews were busy Tuesday dealing with several sewage spills due to all the water, FOX 46 Charlotte reported.

"Anytime we get a lot of rainfall we have the threat of overflowing, the sanitary sewer overflows," Monroe Communications Director Pete Hovanec told FOX 46.

Around 5,000 gallons of sewage spilled in the Eastview Circle area, but no major health hazards were reported.

"The pipes can only handle so much water and if it gets caught up with debris and excessive rain sometimes those get backed up and that's what we faced yesterday," Hovanec said.

Read more from FOX 46 Charlotte.

Read more from WRAL.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.