Gov. Josh Stein declares state of emergency for these 13 NC counties affected by Chantal

Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan, The News & Observer on Jul 17, 2025

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RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has declared a state of emergency as several counties recover from Tropical Storm Chantal.

Stein declared the state of emergency on Thursday for 13 counties impacted by the storm earlier this month, to help with long-term recovery.

“Tropical Storm Chantal cost some of our neighbors their lives and others their livelihood and property. We must do everything we can to support them as they get back on their feet,” Stein said.

He said the state of emergency will help get North Carolinians the “support they need and enable the state to seek out potential funding to help communities rebuild.”

The declaration, which lasts for 30 days, also triggers a prohibition on price gouging.

Chantal hit the state on July 6, bringing severe flooding to multiple counties. At least six people died due to the storm. Stein called the deaths “heartbreaking” and went to see storm damage firsthand in Alamance County on July 8.

The storm caused $56 million in damages just in Orange County, The News & Observer previously reported.

The State Emergency Response Team was activated on July 5, according to Stein’s office, and has been providing support, including search and rescue teams, bottled water deliveries, shower trailers, water sampling kits and extra personnel.

Emergency Management and local government agencies are still assessing damages.

Stein’s declaration also notes the series of consecutive storms since Chantal’s arrival about 10 days ago, “which have caused significant damage and disruption in parts of central North Carolina, and the cumulative impacts of this repeated severe weather have overwhelmed the response and recovery efforts of local governments.”

13 counties in the NC state of emergency from Chantal

Here are the 13 counties included in Stein’s state of emergency declaration: Alamance County; Caswell County; Chatham County; Davidson County; Durham County; Forsyth County; Guilford County; Lee County; Moore County; Orange County; Person County; Randolph County; and Wake County.

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