Thousands Urged to Flee Hurricane 'Isabel'

16/09/2003| IslamWeb

More than 75,000 residents and visitors were urged to evacuate the North Carolina coast Tuesday as Hurricane Isabel weakened but remained a dangerous storm on a track toward land. Forecasters said Isabel appeared to be on a course to hit Thursday on the North Carolina coast and move up through eastern Virginia. Large swells and dangerous surf already were being felt along sections of the coast. The storm's maximum sustained wind had decreased to about 115 mph but forecasters said it would not likely slow much more. The latest evacuation order was for the low-lying Outer Banks islands, which includes an estimated 75,000 people from Hatteras to Duck, 30,000 of them permanent residents. A day earlier, hundreds of residents of vulnerable Ocracoke and Bald Head islands were ordered to evacuate. Dare County spokeswoman Dorothy Toolan said people wouldn't be forced to leave. "We do have some fire departments in municipalities that will visit neighborhoods and encourage people, but we don't have any kind of law enforcement knocking on doors, forcing people to leave," Toolan said. As the storm approaches, the Carolinas "will start feeling the effects of Isabel by Wednesday evening," Williams said. Williams said a hurricane watch would be issued later Tuesday for North Carolina and possibly eastern Virginia. A watch means an area could face hurricane conditions within 36 hours. North of Manteo in Virginia, the Navy had ordered 40 Atlantic Fleet ships based in the Norfolk area to head to sea Tuesday to avoid being battered against their piers. The Air Force had started flying airplanes from coastal bases to fields inland. "There's plenty of potential for significant damage and possible loss of life," Tom Ridge, secretary of the federal Department of Homeland Security, said Tuesday on NBC's "Today" show. "We are preparing for the worst and preparing to respond as quickly as possible," he said. At 5 a.m. EDT Tuesday, Isabel's fastest sustained wind had slowed to near 115 mph, down from about 125 mph at 5 p.m. Monday but still a Category 3 storm. On Sunday, Isabel's top wind had hit 160 mph, making it a Category 5 storm. **PHOTO CAPTION*** John Simpson, Manager at Great Atlantic Pool & Spa, fastens the last sheet of protective plywood over the large windows of his store in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. (AFP/Paul J. Richards)