Hurricane Florence could flood manure pits and industrial sites, creating witches’ brew of waste

The heavy rain expected from Hurricane Florence could flood hog manure pits, coal ash dumps and other industrial sites in North Carolina, creating a noxious witches’ brew of waste.

The tainted water might wash into homes and threaten drinking water supplies.

Coverage of Hurricane Florence on Globalnews.ca:

0:49 Satellite images show Hurricane Florence as it nears U.S. coast

• Satellite images show Hurricane Florence as it nears U.S. coast
• Tracking Hurricane Florence before it hits Carolinas, Virginia
• Emergency preps before Hurricane Florence hits Carolinas, Virginia
• Hurricane Florence to hit Wilmington by late Wednesday
• Gas shortages emerge in North Carolina as people prepare for Hurricane Florence

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Computer models predict more than 3 feet of rain in the eastern part of the state, a fertile low-lying plain veined by brackish rivers with a propensity for escaping their banks.

Longtime locals remembered when it happened before.

READ MORE: A Category 4 storm could devastate the East Coast, simulation shows. Florence is pushing Category 5

In September 1999, Hurricane Floyd came ashore near Cape Fear as a Category 2 storm that dumped about 2 feet of water on a region soaked days earlier by Hurricane Dennis.

The result was the worst natural disaster in state history. Dozens of people were killed and whole towns left underwater.