“Haywood County officials say 35 people are unaccounted for after remnants of Tropical Storm Fred caused severe flooding in western North Carolina. Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency Wednesday and noted both Haywood and Transylvania counties ‘were especially hard hit,’ with as much as a foot of rain. ‘Unconfirmed reports’ in some communities put water levels at ‘3 to 7 feet higher than their previous high watermark,’ Cooper said Wednesday. There were 98 rescues during the storm and more than 50,000 lost power – including 11,600 still without power as of 3 p.m. Wednesday, Cooper said. The governor added that ‘approximately 250 public safety personnel are conducting rescue operations by boat and aircraft'” – Charlotte News and Observer.