KINSTON, N.C. (WITN) – The impacts of tropical storm Debby could be seen across the East on Thursday and Friday.

Kings Restaurant in Kinston has experienced the impacts of flooding firsthand. Owner Joseph Hargitt says, “We’ve been through three and it got to 28 inches one time and 15 inches the last time.”

Emanuel Webb, an employee says, “It’s terrible, very terrible. We have to order trucks. Come in and take everything out of storage. Repair and pick everything up from the level of the flood water and drain all the water out so it’s a lot.”

Hargitt says it’s best to stay prepared by keeping up with the latest weather trends and having a plan. “The first time was a learning lesson for us when we took the building apart and put it back together again. We made it so it was easy for us to take it apart again. We put everything in 4×4 squares, 48in. by 48in. So, we just take the walls down, let them dry, and clean them up. We’ve got a cleaning company that comes by and sanitizes, cleans them up. We usually have anywhere from 5 to 7 days advanced warning that the river is going to flood so that gives us plenty of time to prepare. There’s no need to wait. We’re preparing now—we’ve called some trucks, we’ve made some arrangements just in case.”

“It’s very important because if you aren’t prepared then everything, most of the time gets lost,” Webb also told WITN.

Hargitt says the water level has to reach at least 25 inches to get into the restaurant but still stresses the importance of being weather-aware and prepared.