Fact Check

Does This Photograph Show a Stretch of I-40 in North Carolina Underwater?

A photograph documents that a portion of Interstate 40 in North Carolina was completely underwater after Hurricane Florence.

Published Sept. 18, 2018

Claim:
A photograph documents that a portion of Interstate 40 in North Carolina was completely underwater after Hurricane Florence.

Is that a river or Interstate 40? On 17 September 2018, that question was bandied about over an incredible photograph showing a long, straight body of water surrounded by trees which widely circulated on social media along with messages stating it documented severe flooding that occurred in North Carolina after Hurricane Florence:

Some social media users have grown skeptical of disaster photographs, as doctored and misleading images are frequently circulated in the aftermath of natural phenomena hurricanes, earthquakes, and tornadoes. So even though this image was shared by credible news outlets, some viewers were still uncertain if the image was authentic.

This is a genuine picture of flood waters covering Interstate 40 in North Carolina. This still shot came from footage filmed by the North Carolina Division of Aviation and shared by the North Carolina Division of Transportation's Twitter account. According to that government body, the photograph depicts a section of I-40 in Pender County:

A number of other news outlets have also shared images showing portions of Interstate 40 underwater. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) urged residents to stay off the roads, saying: "Floodwaters are rising as rivers crest and will for days. I urge if you, if you don’t have to drive, stay off the road.” Jim Trogdon, the state's Department of Transportation Secretary, shared another image of this section of I-40 which showed a boat on the water:

Here's another image of the stretch of highway that was posted by the North Carolina Highway Patrol:

Sources

Thebault, Reis.   "Drone Footage Shot After Florence Shows a Massive River in North Carolina. It Used to be a Highway."     The Washington Post.   17 September 2018.

Berman, Mark.   "'We're Just Getting Prepared for the Worst': Florence Pounds Flooded Carolinas As Death Toll Rises to 32."     The Washington Post.   17 September 2018.

Dan Evon is a former writer for Snopes.

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