Due to safety and power issues with the facility, South Lenoir High School will no longer function as a shelter and all of its inhabitants are being transferred to Lenoir Community College.

According to Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office Major Ryan Dawson, there has been water damage, forcing the transfer.

“The power has been out for a period of time and they’ve also sustained damage to the structure as it relates to water leaking in the facility,” Dawson said. “Based upon this information, the water that is leaking and the unknown circumstances regarding the time that the power will be restored, we have made the decision to close it. We have plans being activated at this time and we are moving personnel down there to transport the people that are in that shelter to LCC.

“Effective immediately, South Lenoir’s shelter is closed. It is not taking any more shelter residents (and) if you are on the south side of the county, the closest shelter to you will be LCC or you can go to North Lenoir High School.”

Lenoir County Public Information Officer Bryan Hanks said Kinston High School will still be a backup shelter, but it isn’t needed due to the remaining shelters far from capacity.

“LCC and North Lenoir can still hold many more county residents,” Hanks said. “As of 7 o’clock this morning, North Lenoir had 81, South Lenoir had 117 and LCC had 226. Even adding the residents from the South Lenoir shelter, we’re not even half capacity at LCC and North Lenoir can still hold another 200 people at least.”