As mandatory evacuations are in place for Beaufort, Dare, Pamlico and Tyrrell county beaches (Atlantic, Indian, Emerald Isle, Pine Knoll Shores, Ocracoke, Carolina, Kure, Wrightsville, Topsail, Currituck Outer Banks, Oak Island and Holden), most people are heeding the warning and getting out in advance of Hurricane Florence.
Raleigh, N. C. — As mandatory evacuations are in place for Beaufort, Dare, Pamlico and Tyrrell county beaches (Atlantic, Indian, Emerald Isle, Pine Knoll Shores, Ocracoke, Carolina, Kure, Wrightsville, Topsail, Currituck Outer Banks, Oak Island and Holden), most people are heeding the warning and getting out in advance of Hurricane Florence.
During a news conference on Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Roy Cooper said there are 750,000 to 1 million people under evacuation orders.
“If you aren’t under evacuation orders, now’s the time to finish preparations and get ready to hunker down,” Cooper said. “We expect this storm to be with us for days.”
At least 50 shelters are already open across the state, and officials estimate there were already about 5,000 people staying in the shelters, although that number fluctuates.
“We’re on the wrong side of the storm, where most of the damage is done,” Cooper said.
Computer models show Florence’s storm surge will flood tens of thousands of homes and businesses.
According to the state Department of Transportation, more than 2,100 people and 1,074 vehicles had been evacuated from Ocracoke Island, Cedar Island and Swan Quarter.
DOT crews and the State Highway Patrol were quickly clearing accidents, stranded drivers and abandoned vehicles off major highways near the coast so they don’t hinder the evacuation effort.
DOT officials said contractors are on standby to respond to storm-related tasks and have staged equipment in different areas to have supplies available when cleanup and recovery begins.
