Outer Banks Reopens
Hurricane Update
September 17, 1999
Staff Report
UPDATE
DARE COUNTY, NC

Dare County Emergency Management released the following bulletin this morning:

-BULLETIN
Date/Time: 9/17/99 9:00:00 AM
Bulletin Number: 14

The evacuation order for Dare County has been lifted for residents and visitors effective immediately. All major roads are open; however, many side streets still have standing water. Power outages remain throughout Dare County and crews are working to restore power as quickly as conditions allow.

There are many roads leading to Dare County that have been closed. Anyone traveling to Dare County should check road conditions before departing. Your usual routes may not be open. Call 919-549-5100, Category 7623 to check road conditions in North Carolina. Visitors are encouraged to call their rental company or hotel to confirm reservations before leaving home.

Customers without power at this time should call to report their outage using the following numbers: North Carolina Power (north of Oregon Inlet) 1-888-667-3000 Cape Hatteras Electric (Hatteras Island) 995-5616 Tideland Electric (Dare County mainland) 1-800-637-1079

The National Park Service reports that their facilities will not reopen for several days. Please call (252) 473-2111 for additional information about Park Service facilities. Please call 1-800-BY-FERRY for updated ferry information.

Lighthouse Conditions
Thursday,
September 2, 1999
Cheryl Roberts
UPDATE
HATTERAS ISLAND, NC

The breach of Highway 12 is significant south of Avon towards the village of Buxton. The narrow neck of land just north of Buxton has over washed and has cut accessibility for now. State DOT workers have already been at work getting sand off the road in places and negotiating the channel of water holding back restoration of normal conditions.

International Chimney Corp, Inc. project manager, Joe Jakubik, states the lighthouse is in excellent shape. Other than the anchorage for the weather station being bent over and a missing windowpane, the National Historic Landmark is acting every bit the part of a strong soldier. Even the scaffolding at the upper level is still intact. The lighthouse foundation is sitting in its natural element: about three feet of water. The water actually helps the brick mortar to cure and strengthen to some degree. After the site is dewatered, final bricking will be completed. When dewatering is no longer needed, earth will cover the foundation and the natural water table will restore itself to about four-five feet, putting the foundation back in water for preservation.

Storm surf has breached the dune near the old site and is washing within only feet of it. The plinth stones, placed in a circle around the original site, are in place at this writing. The Keepers Quarters are on higher ground at the relocation site, and very little water is pooled in that part of the light station. Their foundations are strong and keeping them safe.

"We had a couple of our work trailers blown off their bases, but that's just an inconvenience, no big deal," says Skellie Hunt, site manager for the relocation process for ICC, and who is now on Hatteras Island. "And the lighthouse and Keepers Quarters are in great shape." Skellie was enjoying a chicken stew, an "MRE," (meal ready to eat) that had been brought compliments of the National Guard. "The only thing is," he chuckles, "there are about three pages of instructions on how to eat it!"

It is reported that several NC DOT loaders are continuing an attempt to keep sand off Highway 12 while 40-50 knot winds push across the barrier islands. The delay in getting stone to the broken road area is lengthened because of persistent waves and winds driven by the tropical storm, still lingering off the northern Carolina coast. Reports from Rodanthe state the dune line has been severely damaged with extensive over wash. The National Guard is bringing in MREs to as many stranded residents and visitors as possible. The National Park Service also has staff on Hatteras Island to help in any way possible.

Rains Damage Northeast
Flooding Extensive
September 16, 1999
Staff Report
BULLETIN
AHOSKIE, NC

A tour throughout many northeastern North Carolina towns and villages shows just how powerful was Floyd's rainy punch. Damage from extended downpours by Hurricane Dennis last week and now Hurricane Floyd have left some small towns virtually isolated.

Bridges in many low lying areas are either under water or washed out in the Hertford County area ... highway 13 from Ahoskie to Windsor is impassable as is highway 561 to Harrellsville. Numerous side roads have been completely cut as waters from the heavy rains turned streams into raging torrents. NC DOT personnel were struggling to find enough barricades and orange cones to warn unsuspecting motorists of the dangers ahead. The Stoney Creek area, including it's immediate neighborhood is under several feet of water and as of 4:00 pm this afternoon, the water was still rising. Residents in a nearby trailor park were being pulled from their homes by the Army National Guard.

Lakeview community residents (near Roanoke-Chowan Hospital in Ahoskie) were rescued by Hertford County Emergency Services personnel with small boats today as water levels were reported in excess of 6 feet inside some of their homes.

Damage along the Chowan River is reported as extensive to boathouses and piers. Choanoke Shores residents near Harrellsville reported this afternoon that most of the boathouses and piers in their community were swept away by waves reaching as high as 6 to 8 feet during the height of the storm. Storm debris is being swept downstream as the Chowan struggles to handle the outflow from its many feeder streams and tributaries.

Power outages are widespread throughout the area closing many businesses including grocery stores, fast food chains and gas stations as well as private residences. Residents throughout northeastern North Carolina are advised to stay off the roads tonight until flood waters begin to recede and power, telephone and emergency personnel have an opportunity to restore services to thousands of residents throughout the region.

Lighthouse Update
September 15, 1999
Cheryl Roberts
UPDATE
HATTERAS, NC

Well, here we go again. Hurricane Floyd has everyone along the East Coast guessing where to go and when. International Chimney, Inc., contractor for the relocation process is assuming there will be a "good blow" at Cape Hatteras and are making preparations.

Though damage at the lighthouse was minimal from Hurricane Dennis, the opened spaces left by damaged windows can allow the elements to enter the tower. ICC is boarding up the window areas to prevent wind-driven rain from entering.

Meanwhile, on the ground, bricklayers are finishing the brick infill to complete the foundation. To give added protection to the new foundation, soil is being filled in around the base within a foot of the lower edge of the lighthouse's underside. Support walls are being put in place where the entrance steps will soon be reset to save workers time of digging out sand that may be overwashed in a strong storm.

We hope for a safe journey for everyone and everything through this storm.

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Feb 1, 1999
Staff Report

The Outer Banks Lighthouse Society updates the progress of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse move ... sign up to receive e-mail updates.