Flooding is now Hanna's biggest threat

Tropical Storm Hanna's heavy rains have mostly left the Triangle, although the area still remains under a flood warning.

Eastern North Carolina is under a tropical storm wind warning, but the sun is out at many of the state's beaches.

Gov. Mike Easley released a statement warning residents to be wary of flood waters in the next couple of days.

"As the storm waters run off the next couple of ay, the rivers and streams will continue to rise and peak," Easley said in the statement. "Please stay off flooded roads. Be careful. We are more than halfway through this storm, let's finish the job."

According to Easley's office, at the storm's peak, nearly 60,000 homes lost power — mostly in Brunswick and New Hanover counties. There were 49 shelters in 24 counties that served 1,900 people.

Most of those shelters have now closed or will be closing soon.

Wake County has received three to five inches of rain since Friday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service in Raleigh.

Walnut Creek has flooded over Rose Lane off Poole Road in southeast Raleigh. A muddy waterfall poured over Rose Lane, trapping families in about 30 houses at the street's dead end. Police went door to door early Saturday offering to evacuate residents, but most declined.

A pair of teens splashed through the running water, which came to their shins.

"That's an extremely bad idea," said Raleigh police officer P.H. Winston, who strung yellow tape across the road and discouraged cars from crossing Walnut Creek. "Raleigh fire trucks wouldn't go through here, and I don't blame them."

In Morrisville, police are investigating an accident at Highway 54. Drivers are urged to avoid the area.

Crabtree Creek, one of Raleigh's most flood-prone waterways, is measuring at 17 feet above normal, and there is water in the back parking lot of Crabtree Valley Mall. Mall officials had closed it as a precautionary measure, and the mall has already opened for the day.

Some streets in Raleigh were closed this morning by flooding, including Avent Ferry Road at Trailwood, Hillsborough Street at Chapel Hill Road, and Western Boulevard at Pullen Road, said Capt. A.C. Davis of the Raleigh police.

Durham officials are dealing with downed trees. Durham police have blocked off part of North Driver Street because of a tree down on a power line.

Durham police are redirecting traffic around a downed tree crossing both lanes of Guess Road near Terry Road.

In Chapel Hill, Bolin Creek has flooded, causing trouble for residents in nearby Brookwood Apartments. Police went door-to-door this morning, telling residents to move their cars.

Angela Felion, 23, who lives in the apartments, waded through knee-deep water to get to work at nearby University Mall this morning. But when she arrived, the mall was closed because it has no power. A sign on the door says power should be restored by noon.

Pamela Beulah, 48, who lives in a ground-floor apartment, watched the water creep up to her door.

"It would be so beautiful if it weren't for the flooding," she said of the creek. "It's so tropical. This is as close as I'll get to Maui."

Fayetteville officials had to help residents of 77 homes in the Parkway Mobile Home Park to a shelter because of localized flooding.

Still, others braved the weather. Jordan High School's cross country team went on a 10-mile practice run this morning in Chapel Hill. Six team members ran near Bolin Creek today -- sometimes in thigh-deep water. The boys stopped their run briefly to push a Buick out of the flood waters.

"Our coach told us to go on a mud run," said team member Willsch Lotterei, 16.

All hurricane watches have been discontinued, but a high wind warning is in effect until 4 p.m. for the Triangle and points east. Wind up to 45 mph is possible this morning in Wake County, the weather service says. The strongest gusts in the Triangle have reached 24 mph, Scott Sharp, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Raleigh-Durham International Airport is open, but about 25 flights, mostly departures, have been canceled, said airport spokesman Andrew Sawyer.

As of 9:30, Sawyer said things are improving from a flight standpoint. He still suggests passengers check with the airline before leaving for the airport.

No injuries have been reported from the storm, and residents are still urged to use caution.

With the possibility of flash floods, Wake County officials have urged people to stay off the roads and declared a state of emergency, establishing the authority for towns and the county to share emergency resources. State officials said they are closely monitoring the Tar and Neuse Rivers -- most like to flood as all this water starts to move downstream.

And as always with tropical storms, tornadoes are also still possible.