Emergency declaration and visitor evacuation
With a coastal storm bearing down, Dare County leaders declared a state of emergency covering Hatteras Island, starting at 6 p.m. Friday. Visitors must leave the island under a mandatory evacuation beginning at 8 p.m. Friday. The affected communities are Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras Village. The requirement applies solely to visitors; residents of Hatteras Island and people in areas north of Oregon Inlet face no evacuation order.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S5][S6][S7][S8]
The move came after the National Weather Service revised its forecast upward, showing a developing coastal nor'easter would hit harder than previously expected. According to county officials, extended coastal flooding and repeated ocean overwash will probably shut down N.C. Highway 12 on Hatteras Island for a long stretch, severing the road link on and off the island. How long the highway stays closed hinges on how long the storm lasts, the harm it causes and the effort needed to reopen the road safely.[S1][S5][S6]
Instructions for visitors and reservations
Visitors should gather all of their personal belongings and depart according to directions given by their property management company or the provider of their accommodations. Anyone holding a future reservation on Hatteras Island ought to reach out to that accommodations provider to reschedule, and should avoid traveling to the island while the evacuation order remains in force.[S1]
