Mandatory evacuation order for Dare County, NC issued ahead of Hurricane Dorian

DARE COUNTY, NC (WWBT) - A mandatory evacuation for all visitors and residents in Dare County, North Carolina has been issued ahead of Hurricane Dorian.

The evacuation order was issued after Dare County officials met with the National Weather Service regarding actions that were needed to ensure public safety. A state of emergency has also been issued for all areas in Dare County.

The evacuation order for visitors goes into effect starting at noon on Tuesday. The order for residents becomes effective at 6 a.m. on Wednesday.

“Those evacuating to areas north of Dare County are encouraged to travel westbound on Highway 64 to Interstate 95. Evacuating through the rural areas to the west of Dare County will help avoid traffic backups and congestion that may prolong evacuation by traveling northbound through the Hampton Roads portion of Virginia,” Dare County Emergency Management said in a release.

The mandatory evacuation includes the towns of Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, Manteo and all unincorporated areas including Hatteras Island, Roanoke Island and the Dare mainland.

“The state of emergency includes restrictions on ocean swimming due to dangerous surf conditions and strong rip currents along the beaches. Everyone must stay out of the water as it is unsafe for even the most experienced swimmers,” the release said.

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