Hurricane Florence touched down on the Southeastern coastline Sept. 13. While experts downgraded the hurricane to a Category 1 storm, the disaster has left large swaths of the Carolinas flooded as rain continues to batter the area, CNN reports.
Hospitals and health systems across the Carolinas and Virginia, among other areas, began evacuating patients late last week and began providing alternative resources for people seeking medical care during the storm. However, many systems have resumed normal operations.
Here are four things to know:
1. CNN reports the storm has killed at least 18 people and trapped hundreds more as rising flood waters make certain areas across the Carolinas impassable. Experts told the publication the worst flooding is yet to come, as Hurricane Florence — now considered a tropical depression — will likely dump another 2 to 5 inches of rain in central and southeastern North Carolina Sept. 17.
2. Among the at least 18 killed by the storm was a 3-month-old baby who died after a tree fell on her family's home in North Carolina, WSB-TV 2 reports.
3. Despite the remnants of the storm still battering the area, several hospitals and health systems have resumed or expect to resume operations by Sept. 17. Georgetown, S.C.-based Tidelands Health said it reopened its facilities Sept. 17 to begin providing care for residents affected by the storm.
"It's important that we resume full operations as soon as possible to care for our patients," Gayle Resetar, Tidelands Health executive vice president and COO, told South Strand News. "Not only do we need to care for anyone who may be injured in the aftermath of the storm, it's also important we're available to provide the high-quality care our community members depend upon in their daily lives to stay healthy and well."
4. WCBD News 2 reports several facilities in South Carolina have also resumed operations, including:
- East Cooper Medical Center (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.)
- Medical University of South Carolina (Charleston)
- Roper St. Francis Healthcare (Charleston)
- Trident Health (Charleston)
Editor's note: The list of reopened hospitals is not exhaustive.