Thousands flee NC coast as governor declares state of emergency

[supernova]

Source: WRAL.com

RALEIGH, N.C. — Gov. Bev Perdue issued a state of emergency Thursday for all counties east of Interstate 95 as thousands of people were fleeing the coast due to mandatory evacuations ahead of Hurricane Irene.

Perdue has also asked President Barack Obama to declare a pre-landfall emergency declaration to provide federal assistance for response efforts.

A hurricane watch was issued for North Carolina's Outer Banks Thursday, and meteorologists expect the storm to shift west and possibly make landfall near Morehead City Saturday morning.

North Carolina's hurricane watch extends from north of Surf City to the Virginia border. A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions are possible within 36 hours.

Read more: http://www.wral.com/weather/story/10042666/

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Get out now! Sometimes hurricanes wash out coastal roads and you will be stranded. I don't know yet when the ferries will stop running, but they will.

My triangle friends, make sure you secure loose items on your lawn and you have emergency supplies. The leading edge we could start feeling as early as tomorrow night.

NC DOT Ferry Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/NCDOT_Ferry

[kick-ass-bob]

1. I guess we are going to have to cancel our Saturday outdoor party

I don't think the bands will show up, do you? (Raleigh area)

[supernova]

7. Can they move it indoors?

[kick-ass-bob]

8. not comfortably. It was

designed as a 'hang out in the back yard and listen to music for 5-6 hours' party, so that kinda defeats the purpose ;)

[Island Blue]

2. Traffic seems to be steady heading north/west off the OBX

right now (looking at the traffic cams). I'm on Roanoke Island and people are busy right now preparing, but other than that nothing significant to report. Almost everyone (residents) that I know is staying with the exception of a few people with small children. The county is offering free transportation to shelters a couple of hours west of here beginning tomorrow morning, for residents and their pets. There are no shelters here as we are pretty much at sea level on a good day.

The storm has shifted a bit west from yesterday and as it stands now, the center will move directly over the south end of the island that I live on. Best wishes to my fellow DUers up north - hope the storm bounces before it gets to you guys!

[snooper2]

3. Nah, hang around, good time to go fishin :)

[michaz]

4. And in the mean time they are euthanizing the animals in some of the shelters.

Rather than take them to safety. I know people come first but the point is you don't put dogs down for this reason, you protect them.

[Island Blue]

5. The animal shelter is open today

if you would like to come and adopt one. The animal shelter in Dare County (where the storm is likely to hit) is very agressive in their attempts to adopt out their animals. (They work very closely in conjunction with the SPCA.) When you get to the shelter today I'm sure they'll be a bit busy preparing for the storm, but I'm sure they'll be happy to take your application.

Have a great day!

[michaz]

9. Gee, I wish I could stop into the shelter there but since I am from NYS

it would be a bit difficult to make the trip. All I can tell you is that I received emails saying that some of the shelters were putting down animals because of the hurricane. We have adopted 2 dogs from the south and had them transported up to us. We do this because of the high kill rate in the south. I was not being smart by my comment, it was a real concern of mine.

[florida08]

6. does look threatening..please be careful

[Lydia Leftcoast]

10. Footage from the Bahamas, courtesy of the Weather Channel

http://www.weather.com/weather/videos/news-41/top-stories-169/raw-irene-lashes-the-bahamas-21678