Hurricane Irene Lashes the Carolinas

Hurricane Irene lashes the Carolina coast with heavy rain and gusty winds. Wind gusts over 60 mph have been measured as Irene heads for landfall early Saturday. One likely tornado damaged an auto dealership in Belville, N.C. Irene's fury is expected to deliver a storm surge of 6-11 feet and torrential rain that could isolate the Outer Banks from the rest of the state. Strong winds will likely cause power outages. Residents are urged to heed the evacuation warnings immediately. Ferry systems continue to run on a first-come, first-serve basis pending storm conditions. It is being recommended that residents secure emergency supplies such as water, batteries, medicines and other imperative items as widespread damage and power outages are anticipated. Evacuate: Be ahead of the storm and check out evacuation pages for areas in the line of the storm. Prepare: Check and make sure you have everything you need to take with you in the event of an evacuation. Also, be sure you have cash, batteries, water and all valuables nearby in case you are stranded due to flooding or damage. Check out our preparedness tips as well.

North Carolina Hurricane Damage

• State of Emergency declared by President Obama and Gov. Perdue for the east coast of the state ahead of the storm
• Shelters Opened: For those evacuating North Carolina's coastal areas, shelters have opened in 21 counties, with more ready to open throughout the weekend as Hurricane Irene approaches the state.
• Pet-Friendly Shelters: Designated shelters will allow domestic companion animals. All shelters permit service animals such as guide dogs. People who bring their pets should also have their pet's food, food dishes, leashes and proper identification. No poisonous animals will be permitted. The pet friendly shelters that will be opening are located in Leland, Newport, Oxford, Durham, Smithfield, Grantsboro and Henderson.
• Evacuations: Ten coastal counties were under some form of mandatory or voluntary evacuation order, including all of the Outer Banks, as well as inland Currituck County, Dare County, Hyde County and low-lying areas of Beaufort County.
• Prisoners Evacuated: 1,300 prisoners evacuated from two coastal prisons.
• Ferry Service Suspended: Service suspended at 4 p.m. Friday and will not resume until winds subside.
• Flights Cancelled: Charlotte/Douglas International Airport has had 123 flights cancelled, among the most this weekend. Airlines have already cancelled 1,380 flights in the US tomorrow in response to Irene, and 3,975 on Sunday. These numbers are expected to climb.
• Power Outages: Interactive map from Progress Energy showing power outages in Eastern North Carolina.
• State Dept. of Transportation: Workers are positioning heavy equipment on Hatteras Island to keep N.C. 12 open as long as possible The highway is highly vulnerable to flooding during storms
• Ocracoke/Hyde County: Evacuations began Wednesday morning
• Carteret County: Evacuations ordered for visitors and residents
• New Hanover County: A state of emergency has been declared for the county and mandatory evacuations are underway (and strongly encouraged for those along the beach front and in low-lying areas), a little earlier than previously expected to due the speed of the hurricane increasing.

South Carolina Hurricane Damage

• Tropical Storm Warnings Issued from Edisto Beach north to Little River Inlet
• Beach Erosion: Reported at high tide Friday evening on Edisto Island and Folly Beach.
• Downtown Charleston: Reported 49 mph wind gust just before noon Friday.
• Power Outages: About 5,000 customers without power along coast late Friday morning as outer bands of storm approach.
• Property Damage: Outer bands of Irene knocked trees on to houses near Florence.

Report coursey of The Weather Channel The Clore Law Group is helping those affected by Hurricane Irene damage by representing the damage estimate negotiation. Your insurance company does not make money when they pay claims. When our insurance claim is denied or you are offered an amount far too little to cover repairs, call 800-610-2546 for a free consultation.