Virginia’s governor declared a state of emergency today and North Carolina ordered mandatory evacuations for visitors from several barrier islands as powerful Hurricane Earl bore down on the coastal states with winds topping 125 mph.
Coastal residents from the Carolinas as far north as Cape Cod are on high alert for Earl, despite the fact that it was downgraded from a Category 4 storm to a Category 3. Officials said they expect “fluctuations” in Earl force in the coming days, but is still expected to pack a wallop.
The National Hurricane Center warned that Earl could send water rising 3 to 5 feet along coastal areas.
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell declared a state of emergency today in anticipation that Earl could shift and head for coastal communities as early as Thursday night.
“The current forecast has Hurricane Earl passing east of Virginia later this week. However, a change in the storm’s path could bring hazardous weather conditions to eastern Virginia,” McDonnell said in a statement. “This declaration is a precautionary move which will allow state agencies to be ready just in case resources are needed.”
The state’s coastline is already under a hurricane watch.
The designation authorizes various state agencies to “position resources and manpower” ahead of the storm, from the Virginia National Guard to the Department of Emergency Management.
The U.S. naval fleet in Norfolk, Va., is remaining in port, but is under orders to be ready to get underway within 24 hours if necessary.
In Dare County, N.C., this morning officials ordered a mandatory evacuation for all visitors to Hatteras Island.
Hyde County Manager David Smitherman in North Carolina declared a state of emergency and ordered an evacuation this morning of Ocracoke Island, a barrier island accessible only by ferry.
The state of emergency affects about 5,700 people in the county and allows officials to call upon additional resources as the storm approaches, Smitherman said.
In other parts of North Carolina, Atlantic Beach residents are packing up chairs and trash cans off beaches.
Officials have been meeting frantically to set-up preparations and are asking the public to pay attention.
Earl is moving in a northwest direction and could hit the North Carolina coastline by late Thursday.
