Hatteras, Ocracoke Closed To Labor Day Tourists

May 18, 2013

Posted: Wed 1:48 PM, Aug 31, 2011

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Updated: Wed 2:03 PM, Aug 31, 2011

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Hatteras, Ocracoke Closed To Labor Day Tourists

North Carolina emergency coordinators say Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands will remain closed to tourists over the Labor Day weekend because of damage from Hurricane Irene.

Gov. Beverly Perdue got the news during a briefing Wednesday at the state's emergency response coordination center in Kinston. She said she agrees the damage is too severe for visitors to be accommodated.

Power lines remain down on both islands, which are using generations to provide minimal electricity to emergency responders and residents who did not evacuate. Hatteras remains cut off from the mainland after the storm carved four breaches into Highway 12.

North Carolina Emergency Management operations chief David Weldon says it will likely be two weeks or more until all electricity is restored to Ocracoke Island, and probably even longer for Hatteras Island.

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