Residents Along NC Beaches Survey Damage from Floyd

Hurricane Floyd's howling winds, driving rains and angry sea battered the coast causing beach erosion and flooding. Brunswick/Pender Counties

Floyd destroyed about 200 feet of the Sunset Beach Fishing Pier. The pier is 39 years old.

The barrier island's dunes were also severely damaged. Floyd leveled dunes and wrecked roads and bridges in North Topsail, Surf City and Topsail.

Homeowners were allowed back on Sunset Beach Thursday. It appears to have minimal damage. New Hanover County

Floyd made landfall about 3 a.m. Thursday around Cape Fear packing 110 mph winds, drenching rain and pounding surf. The eye passed right over the Wilmington area.

The bridge leading over to Wrightsville Beach over the Intracoastal Waterway was reopened Thursday at 6 p.m.

Forecasters say as much as 19 inches of rain fell in the area overnight.

Numerous trees are down but not as many as expected. However, water is everywhere, flooding roads and parking lots. Some roofs were also damaged.

"We all lucked out. We had more trouble with flooding than anything this time," said resident Ron Campbell.

Power lines buckled under the weight of the storm and winds. In one case, a downed power line burned a hole in the pavement.

Wrightsville Beach Mayor Avery Roberts is relieved knowing that damage could have been worse.

"We were very fortunate this time that we did not have the roof damage on the property. We did have some pier damage, but we did not have the wave action that we had during Fran. We are very happy here," said Roberts.

Many people are still have trouble getting back to Kure Beach. There is a report that at mile-marker 370 on Interstate 40, the area is blocked. Carolina and Kure Beaches will not be open to residents until at least sometime Friday.

Parts of I-40 in the area are impassable. Emerald Isle/Atlantic Beach

Emerald Isle is reeling from both the hurricane and five possible tornadoes.

One home on the island was destroyed Wednesday afternoon in a twister spawned by the hurricane.

The rush to return to the island has been greeted with a word of warning from Governor Jim Hunt.

"I want to caution people to stay where they are until we are sure it's safe. We've had terrific damage. There are about 400,000 people without power, and 88 roads are washed out," said Hunt.

Police are not allowing traffic over the bridges in Carteret County to Atlantic Beach, Pine Knoll Shores, Indian Beach and Emerald Isle unless you are a property owner with a pass.

In the Atlantic Beach area, there were reports of pockets of damage. Myrtle Beach, SC

There are some blocked roads in the Myrtle Beach area due to flooding and downed trees. However, it is a beautiful day. The sun and people's faces are shining.

Floyd will be remembered in Myrtle Beach for his flooding. Parts of Highway 17 were impassable, and other spots, you had to take it slow.

Floyd's pounding rain crept into the Court Capri Hotel.

About 35 percent of Myrtle Beach is without power. Some poles were split in two by the storm's 80 mph gusts.

There was also some damage to a gas station awning, a storefront window and another hotel's roof.

Many residents and tourists who decided to ride out the storm have begun coming out of their homes to survey the damage.

The curfew at Myrtle Beach was lifted at 10 a.m. ,Ken Smith,Melissa Buscherand Cullen Browder