CNN’s Brian Todd in Onslow County, N.C.: We’re Seeing ‘Catastrophic Flooding Here’

RUSH EXCERPT:

TODD: "We’re in Onslow County, outside Jacksonville, North Carolina. Catastrophic flooding here. Some 30 rescues that needed to be undertaken. Most of them from homes. The fortunate part for these folks, they live near camp Lejeune, we are in a convoy of high water vehicles. There are a couple vehicles following us. We’re going to a place where high water rescues are necessary. We’re told there are people in need, possibly a medical emergency. Don’t have much information on that. We can tell you that they’ve had at least 30 rescues needed to be undertaken, most from homes. Some from vehicles. And they’re trying to get to as many as they can. This has been happening since midday yesterday. They have about 300 some people in shelters here since yesterday afternoon. Some of them made their way to shelters themselves. Many of them had to be pulled out of their homes and cars. One official told us a short time ago, they had an ambulance pickup overnight with a cardiac arrest patient. The ambulance got there, picked up the patient, and the ambulance took on water. These are some of the risks that rescuers and first responders are going through. They’re not accessible by truck or other vehicle. They have three coast guard helicopter units deployed here, and swift water rescue team from Indiana. They’re deploying a lot of resources here. One marine official told me they’ve had amphibious assault vehicles to pull people out. Calls keep coming in for people to be rescued from homes. We’ll check out and see where people are in need and update later, Martin."