CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WNCN)- Nearly a week after Tropical Storm Chantal hit central North Carolina, the rebuild continues.
On Saturday, dozens of volunteers went to Camelot Village apartments in Chapel Hill to help with the cleanup but were faced with thick mold growing from the standing water.
“Mold up 4-plus feet, it’s 3D, it’s fuzzy, there’s all colors, black, white, green,” volunteer Stephen Szpak said.
Inside of Camilla Hackney’s home, that mold is growing on her walls, doors, furniture, and anything that was left when the flooding hit.
“In fact, I really need to put on this mask right now, because it stinks from out here,” Hackney said.
As the mold grows inside the homes, piles of victims’ belongings that are now trash grow on their front porches. Everything inside the homes must go before the rebuild can begin, according to the Camelot Village Homeowners Association property manager.
“Everything is destroyed, everything is gone,” Hackney said.
Szpak is a UNC-Chapel Hill graduate student and just one of the volunteers that showed up Saturday to help.
“I was always raised to help other people in times of need and I would expect other people to do that for me and this is one of the times people need my help,” Szpak said.
According to the Camelot Village Homeowners Association property manager, 62 units are a complete loss.
But this is not the first time the apartments have had flood damage, in fact it is the fourth time. The last flood hit the development in January 2024.
The property manager hopes something can be done to give the residents some relief anytime it rains.
“Whether it’s increasing the size of the stream area, aqueducts, additional drainage, retention ponds, and we really need help on a national level to be honest, with permissions in order to do something much different,” said Barabra Duffy, Camelot Village Homeowners Association Property Manager.
The rebuild is expected to take four months.
