North Carolina Department of Crime Control and Public Safety

North Carolina Department of Crime Control and Public Safety

Division of Emergency Management

Beverly Eaves Perdue, Governor H. Douglas Hoell, Jr., Director
Reuben F. Young, Secretary

April 18, 2011Contact: Julia Jarema, NCEM, (919) 715-3747

Counties, State and FEMA Begin to Assess Damage from Tornados

RALEIGH – Gov. Bev Perdue today continued her tour of tornado damage with visits to Bertie, Halifax, Hertford and Wilson counties as teams from North Carolina Emergency Management and Federal Emergency Management head out to the counties to begin the formal damage assessment process.

“We began conducting preliminary damage assessments in Greene and Cumberland counties yesterday and will continue that process today in 11 more counties,” said state Emergency Management director Doug Hoell.

Teams are out surveying damage today in Bertie, Bladen, Cumberland, Halifax, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Onslow, Pitt, Robeson, Wake and Wilson counties today and will continue with more tomorrow.

Once they complete their appraisals, North Carolina Emergency Management officials can compile the damage estimates to see which areas, if any, qualify for individual or community financial assistance from the federal government.

Initial reports indicate more than 130 homes have been destroyed and more than 700 damaged, some severely.

The estimated death toll in North Carolina is 22. More than 125 people sought treatment for tornado-related injuries over the weekend at local emergency rooms; Bertie, Cumberland, Johnston, Lee and Wake counties were particularly busy.

Perdue and First Gentleman Bob Eaves toured hard-hit counties across the state yesterday to survey damage left by a string of tornados said to be the most devastating to hit North Carolina since 1984.

Gov. Perdue issued a State of Emergency declaration late Saturday night and also waived weight restrictions on heavy trucks to allow relief supplies and crews to begin the recovery process. Additionally, local States of Emergency have been declared in 13 counties.

As of this morning, seven shelters were still open; two in Wake County and one each in Bladen, Cumberland, Greene, Halifax, Johnston, Onslow and Pitt counties.

Citizens are encouraged to avoid damage areas to allow emergency responders and repair crews full access, and to continue monitoring news reports for updates regarding the situation. Motorists traveling through storm-damaged areas need to be especially mindful of downed power lines and nonfunctioning traffic signals.

“Navigating the roads in many of these communities is still dangerous,” said Hoell. “We want everyone to be especially careful as they travel and continue the clean-up process.”

###