CARY, N.C. — As Tropical Storm Debby brings heavy rains and winds to North Carolina that have resulted in flooding and reports of multiple tornadoes, disaster response volunteers with N.C. Baptists on Mission are making plans for a response.

“At this time we do not know exactly how we will respond, but we believe that there will be significant flooding and significant needs due to Debby,” according to a statement posted to the N.C. Baptists on Mission website. “We are watching to determine where the greatest needs will be and we are preparing our equipment and volunteers as well as our eastern North Carolina mission camps and rebuild centers in Lumberton, Red Springs, Rose Hill and New Bern so that we are ready to respond.”

The statement also said that Baptists on Mission is planning to deploy a mobile feeding unit, shower and laundry units, and volunteers to an evacuation shelter at an undisclosed location.

Shortly after first making landfall near the Gulf Coast of Florida early Monday as a Category 1 hurricane, Debby was downgraded to a tropical storm as it began slowly moving up the East Coast. The storm battered parts of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina before slowly making its way into North Carolina.

Debby began impacting parts of North Carolina on Wednesday, and those impacts are expected to last through Friday. The National Weather Service said heavy rainfall that has already impacted much of central and eastern North Carolina is expected to persist all day Thursday and result in considerable flooding. Much of central and eastern North Carolina are under a flood watch until Friday evening, when remnants of the storm are expected to finally move out of the state.

The National Weather Service also said wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph are possible, which could result in downed trees and power outages.

Isolated tornadoes are also possible until Thursday afternoon. The greatest tornado threat is along the Interstate-95 corridor, but the overall threat extends as far west as the Triangle area.

The National Weather Service confirmed that a tornado went through Sampson County on Wednesday afternoon, and there were reports of other twisters impacting other parts of the state.

A tornado also touched down in Wilson County during the pre-dawn hours Thursday morning that damaged multiple homes, a local middle school and a Primitive Baptist church near the town of Lucama. One man died in a home that collapsed due to the tornado, according to multiple reports. Wilson County Government officials confirmed the fatality in a social media post on X (formerly Twitter).

Eastgate Church in Wilson experienced some minor flooding that was isolated to church offices. The church’s parking lot was also flooded along with area streets.

Officials with Redemption Church at New Hope in Wilson said its congregation plans to participate in some storm damage cleanup in the community on Saturday as part of a “ServeNC” project. “ServeNC” is a statewide initiative taking place this week in which N.C. Baptist churches are serving their communities through a variety of service activities.

Officials with the Baptist Children’s Homes (BCH) of North Carolina wrote in a Facebook post that children, single mothers and caregivers at the Odum Home in Pembroke and the Kennedy Home in Kinston had been relocated out of an abundance of caution. Residents of the Odum Home were moved to a nearby hotel, and residents of the Kennedy Home were moved to BCH’s Mills Home in Thomasville.

BCH officials also said the storm toppled a large tree at the Mills Home, which fell “yards away from” a children’s cottage on the property. No structures were damaged, and there were no reported injuries, according to the social media post.

N.C. Baptists on Mission is seeking potential volunteers to serve in the aftermath of Debby. Those interested can learn more and sign up for a possible deployment at the N.C. Baptists on Mission website. Individuals may also make financial contributions to the Debby relief efforts online.

Disaster response is one of the 19 different ministries of N.C. Baptists on Mission, which is supported through the annual North Carolina Missions Offering. Individuals and churches can learn more and give to the offering at ncmissionsoffering.org.

(EDITOR’S NOTE — This story has been updated from its original version to include additional reports of storm damage.)