A Fran-tic night: Powerful hurricane humbles N.C. coast

STORY AND PHOTOS BY EILEEN BRADY
THE DAILY NEWS OF JACKSONVILLE, N.C.

A ferocious Hurricane Fran veered into southeastern North Carolina, bringing a new wave of destruction to a region still reeling from Hurricane Bertha.
In Onslow County, at least one person was killed by the Category 3 hurricane, and another person was missing. Structural damage was much worse than Bertha, a Category 2 hurricane that struck July 12, while uprooted trees and blown-down signs returned to dominate the landscape.
The National Weather Service said the storm made landfall around the mouth of the Cape Fear River, packing winds

of about 115 mph, and followed a northerly track.
Sustained winds of about 75 mph were recorded at Marine Corps Air Station, New River, but the station experienced technical problems about 10 p.m. Gusts of up to 94 mph were recorded, with rainfall totaling about seven inches.
By daybreak, area residents had returned to the dourly familiar road to recovery.
The first wave of assessment teams headed out through Onslow County today to survey damage from Hurricane Fran. Volunteer fire departments and municipal police conducted “windshield surveys” of damage, said Jeff Hudson, the county’s acting emergency management coordinator.
The information will be given to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to determine whether the area will be declared a state of emergency.
“I think we’ll get that one,” Hudson said. “We got one for Bertha, and this one’s kind of a no-brainer.” 
County tax assessors were scheduled to begin at noon putting a monetary value to the damage. The tax assessment will take two weeks or more, Hudson said. Later, FEMA will do its own assessment for monetary value, which will take four to six weeks.
“I am certain that the damage will be greater than any damage we received from Bertha,” Hudson said. 
People were urged to stay off the roads to keep them clear for emergency officials.
Although most areas still had water service today, residents are encouraged to conserve water as much as possible, said Dave Clark, the county’s public works director.
Water lines broke in the Southwest community, causing a lot of water to be lost in a short period of time, Clark said. Some residential communities, such as the Walnut Creek subdivision, had no water because they had no emergency generators.
The water that was flowing most likely was potable, Clark said, but officials were taking no chances.
“Even though we have no reason to believe there’s any contamination, we’re advising people to boil water just to be safe,” he said.
Low water pressure likely indicates a break in a line. Bottled water should be saved for drinking, Clark said.
A request for 10 generators to keep well sites pumping was made to the state. There are generators at the water-treatment plants, but those are fed by wells.
Breakers were reported at 2:20 a.m. in the Intracoastal Waterway. At 3 a.m., seas were reported to subside. Tides were 4 feet above normal. The tornado watch was lifted at 4 a.m.
Concerned property owners can call 327-2768 to inquire about damage at North Topsail Beach. Emergency management officials said they will try to obtain a videotape of the island to show to residents, perhaps at Dixon Shelter.
Along U.S. 17 in Maysville, the Family Campground was under water. Houses between Pollocksville and Maysville were flooded. The Trent River was swollen.