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As North Carolina braces for the impact of Hurricane Idalia, state officials are encouraging residents to get prepared in the event of an emergency.
Idalia is expected to make landfall along Florida's Gulf Coast on Wednesday (August 30) as an "extremely dangerous" Category 3 hurricane, but will likely lose its intensity as it travels up the coast toward the Carolinas. However, the storm is still expected to bring heavy rain and winds to regions of the state, especially along the coast, bringing the possibility of power outages and flooding.
Gov. Roy Cooper issued a state of emergency ahead of the storm, saying that officials are continuing to monitor Idalia's course and adding, "It is important for North Carolinians to gather emergency kits and prepare for the storm before it's too late." Along with the state of emergency, Gov. Cooper and fellow state officials have shared some tips to be prepared:
- Have multiple ways to receive emergency information to keep up with any updates regarding the storm, such as warnings and watches. Additionally, you can download a weather app and ensure your emergency alerts are enabled on your phone.
- Have an emergency plan in place in the event you may need to evacuate, such as plans to stay with friends, family or at a hotel. State officials advise that public shelters are a last resort.
- Prepare an emergency kit or gather additional emergency supplies, such as water, non-perishable food, batteries, cell phone with charger, first aid kid, blankets, sanitizing wipes, important documents and more. Additional information can be found on the state website.
- Be aware if you are located in a coastal evacuation zone, which can be found at KnowYourZone.nc.gov.
- If there is flooding along the roadways, do not try to drive through it. Turn around don't drown.