ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Tropical Storm Debby made another landfall Thursday morning on the South Carolina coast. As it continues moving north, eastern parts of the Carolinas will be seeing the most severe impacts. So far, much less rain is forecasted for the Asheville area and parts of Western North Carolina, as well as breezy conditions, according to the National Weather Service. Current predictions for Buncombe County are 1-2 inches for most of the county with the eastern part of the county around 3 inches.

Flooding due to storm surge is expected along the North and South Carolina coasts, so be careful extra careful and cautious if you have any beach plans.

First responders from Western North Carolina headed east ahead of Debby’s second landfall in order to help with search and rescue operations and more.

TROPICAL STORM DEBBY: LOCAL FIRST RESPONDERS HEAD EAST TO HELP

On Tuesday, Attorney General Josh Stein announced the state’s price gouging law went into effect after Gov. Roy Cooper declared a statewide state of emergency ahead of Tropical Storm Debby.

“In some cases, businesses and industries that are heavily impacted by the incident causing the state of emergency have a reasonable need to increase prices in order to resupply, but they should disclose these increases so people can make informed purchasing decisions,” a release from the Attorney General’s office said. “Businesses cannot, however, unreasonably raise the price of goods or services to profit from a state of emergency.”

North Carolinians are encouraged to report potential price gouging by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or by filing a complaint HERE.

Duke Energy said it was preparing to respond to reports of severe storm damage, especially in the eastern part of the state. Click here for power outage information, including a map of current outages.

TROPICAL STORM DEBBY: HOW YOU CAN HELP BY DONATING BLOOD

Below are some recommended safety and preparedness tips from Duke Energy for future storms:

  • Create (or update) an emergency supply kit to save valuable time later. The kit should include everything an individual or family would need for at least two weeks, especially medicines, water, non-perishable foods and other supplies that might be hard to find after a storm hits.
  • Keep a portable radio or TV or a NOAA weather radio on hand to monitor weather forecasts and important information from state and local officials.
  • Charge cellphones, computers and other electronic devices in advance of storms to stay connected to important safety and response information. Consider purchasing portable chargers and make sure they are fully charged as well.
  • Maintain a plan to move family members – especially those with special needs – to a safe, alternative location in case an extended power outage occurs, or evacuation is required.
  • Pet owners should arrange to stay at evacuation shelters that accept pets; friends’ or family members’ homes; or pet-friendly hotels.
  • Make sure contact information is up to date and communication preferences are noted in your account so you can receive proactive updates from Duke Energy on the status of power outages.