CHAPEL HILL -- Tropical Storm Hanna has caused minimal problems for the Chapel Hill area since heavy rain began passing through the area just after midnight, local officials say.

The American Red Cross opened a shelter at Smith Middle School, 9201 Seawell School Road in Chapel Hill, but as of 10:30 a.m. no one had taken advantage of it, Orange County public information officer David Hunt said. The shelter will stay open at least until noon.

There have been only a few minor power outages, and all traffic signals are operating.

Around 4:15 a.m. low-lying areas, mostly parking lots in the South Estes Drive area near University Mall, began to flood. These included the Brookwood, Camelot and Ridgefield complexes. At this time no buildings have been flooded.

Hunt, who said he lost power at his home, had also heard reports of rising water in the Cornwallis Hills neighborhood in Hillsborough.

In Person County, north of Orange County, a bridge was reportedly washed out and traffic was stopped on N.C. 157, Hunt said.

In Chapel Hill, police activated a Code Red system to advise residents in the specific areas of the rising water, and police and fire personnel went door-to-door to suggest residents move their cars and consider relocating. Few if any left the complexes. Approximately 4,348 calls were made with a 53 percent contact rate, town officials said in a news release.

Umstead Drive in Chapel Hill is flooded and barricaded off this morning.

Six to 8 inches of water is across Weaver Dairy Road at Kingsmill Apartments and a tree on a house has been reported at Summerfield crossing, town officials said. There were no injuries.

For further information, people may contact the local American Red Cross chapter at 942-4862 or contact the Orange County Emergency Operation Center public information hotline at 245-6111. In an emergency, call 911.