SE North Carolina News

Wind gusts from Hurricane Ian continue to be felt across New Hanover County, but the storm is beginning to move out of the area leaving coastal flooding, downed trees, and some power outages. 

The forecast for Saturday includes some residual wind gusts, but otherwise clear weather, so New Hanover County plans to resume normal operations. Most services and attractions that are typically open to the public on weekends will be open on a normal schedule, including libraries, Cape Fear Museum, Port City United Connect, and the landfill.  

Staff will assess damage at county parks, Airlie Gardens, and the Arboretum beginning Saturday morning at 7 a.m., and they will each be opened after they are deemed safe for the public.

Parks Updates, as of Saturday, October 1 at 9 a.m.

After staff assessments, all parks, Airlie Gardens, and Arboretum are open to the public, with the following exceptions: 

• Summer Rest Trail and Long Leaf Nature trail (next to the Senior Resource Center): closed until Tuesday due to several small trees down
• Arrowhead Park restrooms: closed until further notice due to a power outage
• Blue Clay Park Bike Park: closed until further notice due to wet trails
• Northern Regional Park Disc Golf hole #15: closed until further notice due to hanging limbs that must be removed

The county’s emergency management team has been actively monitoring the storm and coordinating with the state, National Weather Service, and local partners to help ensure needed resources are available and the community is kept safe and informed. The county’s emergency activation is planned to end on Saturday morning based on the current forecast, and then any needed damage assessment will take place. 

The latest estimate from Duke Energy shows approximately 1,900 power outages in the county, and Duke Energy will be actively working to restore power for those customers when conditions are safe. The outage map can be viewed at outagemaps.duke-energy.com.  

SAFETY REMINDERS 

Below are several safety reminders we encourage the community to be aware of: 

• If you have to be on the road, treat any non-working traffic signals as a four-way stop. 
• Several areas in the county are experiencing flooding. Do not drive through standing water and do not drive around any road barricades – they are up for your safety. 
• Use caution around low-hanging power lines. 
• As you start to clean up from the storm, wear protective clothing and gear for debris clean up. 
• Take precaution when using a chainsaw by wearing appropriate protective gear, making sure bystanders are a safe distance away and following manufacturer’s instructions. 
• Avoid contact with power lines and take extra care in cutting trees or branches that are bent or caught under something else.
• Don’t walk through standing flood waters. Keep in mind that floodwater often carries germs and other dangerous debris.
• If your power is out, do not use a generator inside your home or garage, even if doors and windows are open. Only use generators outside, more than 20 feet away from your home, doors, and windows. And use flashlights instead of candles to reduce the risk for fire hazards.
• Refrigerated or frozen foods may not be safe to eat if you have lost power. Find out what you can do to keep food safe during a power outage, and when you need to throw away food that could make you sick here.

Original source can be found here.