Weather

Hurricane Preparedness Week is here. Are you ready?

The official start to hurricane season is a few weeks away and those who are under the threat of a storm should be preparing now.

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By
Alfred Charles
, WRAL.com managing editor
N.C. — The official start to hurricane season is a few weeks away and those who are under the threat of a storm should be preparing now.

Monday marks the beginning of National Hurricane Preparedness week, and experts say now is the time to start preparing.

Officials say those at risk should ask themselves now if they are staying or going if a storm threatens to make landfall.

If you're planning to stay - make sure you have a disaster kit. What you need is pretty basic and shouldn't cost you a lot.

Some items include water, a flashlight, food, plus your cellphone and charger.

Gov. Roy Cooper on Monday issued a proclamation about the week.

"North Carolina has been hit by two huge storms in two years, and we know from experience that any storm should be taken seriously,” he said. “We hope and pray that North Carolina will be spared this hurricane season, but we must do everything we can to be prepared. Now is the time to get ready to protect your home and family from the next hurricane.”

In many instances, North Carolina is still recovering from last year's hurricane season.

Hurricane Florence killed 22 people across three Southeastern states, was the ninth most destructive storm in terms of property damage in U.S. history and spawned 44 tornadoes, according to a report from the National Hurricane Center.

The report described Florence as "a long-lived, category 4 hurricane" which was named on Aug. 31 and lingered until Sept. 17. The hurricane made landfall along the southeastern coast of North Carolina as a Category 1 storm.

Fifteen people were killed in North Carolina, the report said, with 11 of those dying because of flooding. Four people were killed in South Carolina, all from flooding. In each instance, people either drove into floodwaters or were swept off the road by floodwaters.

In all, Florence made an impact on four states. Damage from Florence was estimated at $24 billion. North Carolina bore the brunt of that total, with an estimated $22 billion in damage. Another $2 billion in damage was recorded in South Carolina and $200 million in Virginia.

According to the governor's office, residents should:

  • Know their evacuation routes and plan how to get to safer ground if needed.
  • Consider flood insurance, especially for residents who live near a body of water or in an area that has ever experienced flooding.
  • Sign up for flood alerts from FIMAN, the NC Flood Inundation Mapping and Alert Network, to get up-to-the-minute warnings on potential flooding.

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