9/6/19: MANDATORY EVACUATION, RESTRICTED ACCESS TO DARE REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING, WHEN STAGED REENTRY WILL BE DECIDED; Curfew Set for Hatteras Island

The mandatory evaluation for Dare County remains in place because of hazardous conditions, and access to Dare County remains restricted, until the DCEM’s Dare County Control Group meets tomorrow morning to review safety assessments and determine reentry procedures.

In a bulletin issued at 4:35 p.m. today, Dare County Emergency Management described existing hazards as including “downed power lines and trees, impassable roadways, and widespread power outages.”

Southern Shores definitely experienced downed trees, impassable roadways, and some power outages, but they appear to have been largely in the woods, according to what readers have reported to The Beacon. Like Rod McCaughey, who photographed the ocean at 11th Avenue, Nancy Lorell of 13th Avenue saw a “very high and angry” ocean when she ventured to the beach this afternoon.

Ms. Lorell described “some ponding” on her street, “but not as bad as Matthew,” which caused widespread flooding on the oceanside three years ago. Thirteenth Avenue also has “some small limbs and leaf debris” on it, “but nothing major,” Ms. Lorell said.

Roadways on Hatteras Island are covered with sand and water, DCEM reports, and N.C. DOT is working to assess damage along N.C. Hwy. 12 there.

All of Hatteras Island is without power, just as is Ocracoke Island, which is in Hyde County, not Dare. Water service to Hatteras Village has been turned off due to a leak that cannot be found and repaired because of flooding. Repair crews are standing by.

The Dare County Control Group has established a curfew for Hatteras Island from 8 p.m. through 8 a.m. tomorrow. It applies to all areas south of Oregon Inlet.

The Control Group will determine the timing for the staged reentry process, which, as The Beacon previously described, will occur according to the “priority” status of returning persons.

Essential personnel may return first during stage one. Resident property owners who have the proper identification or a reentry permit may return during the priority two stage; nonresident property owners with proper ID must wait until priority three stage. Priority four applies to the general public and all other visitors. For more information about the reentry process, see https://www.darenc.com/departments/emergency-management/hurricanes/reentry.

If you would like to receive a DCEM alert via text, voice mail, or email, you may sign up at http://www.darenc.com/alerts.

(UPDATE MINUTES AFTER POSTING THIS: A reader reports that the AT&T cell tower at the Duck Road-Ocean Boulevard split was damaged during the storm.)

Ann, 9/6/19