The Times and Democrat from Orangeburg, South Carolina • 8

8A THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2005 HURRICANE OPHFMA THE TIMES AND DEMOCRAT I www.TheTandD.com Heavy rain as Ophelia closes in on N.C. 7U3 i By PAUL NOWELL Associated Press Writer CAROLINA BEACH, N.C. -Hurricane Ophelia lashed the North Carolina coast with high winds and heavy rains Wednesday, beginning an anticipated two-day assault that threatened serious flooding and an 11-foot storm surge. "If you have not heeded the warning before, let me be clear right now: Ophelia is a dangerous storm," Gov. Mike Easley said from Raleigh.

Ophelia was moving so slowly just 7 mph Wednesday night -that authorities expected the storm's passage through North Carolina to take a full 48 hours from the start of rainfall on the southeastern coast Tuesday afternoon to the storm's anticipated exit into the Atlantic late Thursday. The storm had sustained wind of 85 mph Wednesday night, the National Hurricane Center said. Hurricane warnings covered the entire North Carolina coast from Frederick, meteorologist at the weather service bureau at Newport, N.C. "It might just graze the coast. It might not be considered an official landfall," Frederick said.

Wednesday in Carteret County, at the corner of North Carolina's central coast where Cape Lookout and Morehead City face south into the Atlantic. At 9 p.m. EDT, Ophelia's large eye was centered about 35 miles southwest of Cape Lookout on the Outer Banks. Hurricane-force winds of at least 74 mph extended 50 miles out from the center and forecasters said some strengthening was possible. Easley urged residents not to take chances.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency had 250 workers on the ground as the first post-Katrina hurricane approached landfall a larger-than-usual contingent given Ophelia's size. FE-MA also put a military officer, Coast Guard Rear Adm. Brian Pe-terman, in place to command any federal response the storm may require. The storm's slow, meandering path to the coast gave FEMA more time to get staff on the ground than is usually the case with North Carolina hurricanes, said Shelley Boone, the agency's team leader for Ophelia. Easley said he had spoken to Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff and that National Guard teams were prepared to evacuate sick, frail and elderly residents.

By mid-afternoon Wednesday, a storm total of about 12 inches had fallen on Oak Island at the mouth of the Cape Fear River, said meteorologist Jeff Orrock with the National Weather Service in Raleigh. Wind gusts reached 84 mph Wednesday morning in New Hanover County, prompting Carolina Beach to pull emergency personnel off the roads because they were too treacherous, town spokeswoman Valita Quattle-baum said. Police and firefighters continued responding to emergency calls, but weren't patrolling the streets. More than 120,000 homes and business were without power in eastern North Carolina, electric utilities said. On Ocean Isle Beach, south of Carolina Beach, a 50-foot section of beachfront road was washed out by heavy surf and the only bridge to the island was closed.

Further north, in the Pamlico Sound officials worried about flooding in the same locations that were devastated by high water after previous storms. Craven County expected a 6-to 8-foot storm surge in the Har-lowe area near the Neuse River -an area that flooded during Isabel two years ago, said Stanley Kite, the county emergency management coordinator. The Beaufort County town of Washington ordered an evacuation of a 20-block area that flooded during Hurricane Fran in 1996. A storm surge of up to 9 feet was forecast along the Pamlico River and water wasn't expected to recede until Thursday morning, county manager Paul Spruill said. AP Rocky Stone, foreground, fights the stinging rain as he and Mark Powell, left, struggle to secure rocking fishing boats in a harbor at Carolina Beach, N.C, Wednesday, Sept.

14, 2005, as Hurricane Ophelia pounds the coast. Stone said of the lingering hurricane, "If this is a category 1, 1 don't want to see a 3 or a 4." the South Carolina line to Virginia, where a tropical storm warning covered the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. The storm's eye was expected to brush the coast between midnight and 2 a.m., but the center may not reach the shore, said Bob Ophelia skirts the S.C. coast with little damage Don't miss the Lumber River Quartet and Rev. Jerry Devinney northern beach access, slowed vehicles parallel to the coast, while others parked cars and peeked out of windshields as whipping winds sprayed salt water into the air.

By midday, the ocean was eerily calm. Farther up the coast into North Carolina, however, trees and branches were down, road signs were bent and trash lined roadways and golf courses. Bridges were closed to Sunset and Ocean Isle beaches. By JACOB JORDAN Associated Press Writer CHERRY GROVE Hurricane Ophelia's pelting rains and howling winds swept over South Carolina's Grand Strand on Wednesday, but the state dodged any significant damage from the storm. A handful of power outages were reported along with minor flooding and beach erosion.

With the devastation of Hurricane Katrina still fresh in everyone's mind, residents and tourists were relieved, although some vacations were spoiled. The meandering Category 1 hurricane sat off the coast for several days before it finally headed to North Carolina, dumping heavy rains as the storm's eye moved east of the state. A top wind gust of 44 mph was reported at the Myrtle Beach airport while North Myrtle Beach received more than 5 inches of rain, said Ron Steve, National Weather Service meteorologist in Wilmington, N.C. The tide surged 2 to 3 feet above normal. The tropical weather made driving difficult for early morning deliveries and those venturing into work.

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