OCRACOKE ISLAND, N.C. (WAVY) — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper says the state is continuing to support recovery efforts on Ocracoke Island weeks after Hurricane Dorian.
Dorian made landfall over Cape Hatteras on Sept. 6, bringing powerful widespread wind, rain and storm surge to North Carolina. Those conditions flooded Ocracoke Island, leaving hundreds of people stranded.
Cooper said in a statement issued Thursday, “We are working to get all possible assistance for the people of Ocracoke and everyone else recovering from Hurricane Dorian. I urge our congressional delegation and federal partners to expedite approval of North Carolina’s request for a federal disaster declaration.”
Cooper’s office said in a news release the state has worked with Hyde County to provide response and recovery resources to the island. A list of services the state provided was included in the release. Some of those services included:
- Airlift of food, water and emergency personnel to island
- Emergency fuel supplies and repairs to get fuel service available
- Food preparation and feeding by Salvation Army, Baptists on Mission and American Red Cross with more than 1,000 meals served
Residents on Ocracoke and county have been left wondering about FEMA in the storm’s aftermath. The island is now riddled with abandoned cars and debris piles along the side of the road two weeks after the storm.
Tom Pahl, vice chairman of the Hyde County Board of Commissioners, said “We don’t know where FEMA is. We are trying to find FEMA … they are not responding quickly enough. They are not responding fast enough. We are doing everything we can, including working with senators and congressmen.”
Cooper’s office said the governor requested a major disaster disaster declaration for assistance from FEMA on Sept. 13 and has encouraged congressional leaders to work to expedite the approval of the request.
Meanwhile, the North Carolina Department of Transportation said Thursday it is hoping to have NC-12, which was heavily damaged by the storm, reopened before the Thanksgiving holiday.
NCDOT said a target date for the reopening has been set for Nov. 22