Wrightsville Beach 12 brace for Florence to fully make landfall

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) – Emergency officials on Wrightsville Beach were able to assess the beginning impacts of Hurricane Florence before day turned to night Thursday.

The bulk of the three media briefings held by police chief Dan House surrounded how they were still anticipating the serious and catastrophic storm surge as well as hurricane force winds. Fortunately for House, he says this storm should not be a devastating event for the beach town in terms of loss of life.

Since issuing a mandatory evacuation order Wednesday, almost all of the more than 2500 residents left the island. According to Fire Chief Glen Rogers, there are in fact only 12 people left on the beach to sit out the storm.

PD Chief Dan House, Town Manager Tim Owens, and FD Chief Glen Rogers (Andrew James/WWAY)

Being such a small number, first responders have made clear to them the situation when the storm makes its expected complete landfall by 8 a.m. Friday morning.

“There’s going to be really nowhere for anybody to go,” said Chief House with Wrightsville Beach Police. “We are going to be very very very limited in terms of responding. So if you’re on the beach the time to go is now.”

Police tell us they will hold another press briefing at 9:00 a.m. Friday with any damage updates possible. Before night feel there were no reports of power loss nor significant damage.