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Princeville residents debate rebuilding after Matthew

About 1,000 Princeville residents have been allowed to go back to their homes to get a first look at the damage caused by Hurricane Matthew.

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PRINCEVILLE, N.C. — About 1,000 Princeville residents have been allowed to go back to their homes to get a first look at the damage caused by Hurricane Matthew.

On Monday, people spent the day dumping damaged furniture and belongings on the street and debating if they want to rebuild.

Roosevelt Noble was in disbelief when he arrived back at his home.

"It was a nightmare," he said. "We went in, the water was on the floor, the carpet was saturated, and it was not livable."

Everything that was in his living room was put out on the street. Most of the furniture was not even 20 years old, and was bought following Hurricane Floyd in 1999.

"This is the second time we've been through this and I don't know if we are coming back or not," Noble said.

Noble's neighbor, Peggy Lyons, echoed that sentiment. The flooding from Matthew has made her question whether or not to replace her belongings.

"I haven't decided yet. I'm leaving my options open," she said.

Lyons has lived in Princeville for 30 years. She said she has seen too much destruction.

"I'm 68 years old. I don't want to go through that again," she said.

Residents in the Southern Terrace and Long Pine neighborhoods opened their homes to neighbors who suffered more damage in the floods. Some Princeville residents have been in shelters for more than two weeks.

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