Waterspout Causes Severe Damage After Coming Ashore on North Carolina Island
A waterspout whipped up by the outer bands of Hurricane Dorian severely damaged coastal North Carolina’s Emerald Isle after coming ashore on Thursday morning, September 5, video recorded by town officials show.
This footage was sent directly to Storyful by Emerald Isle Town Manager Matt Zapp. He said that damage on the barrier island was concentrated just inland from the Atlantic Ocean. Worst hit was Boardwalk RV Park, a campground with dozens of mobile homes.
The waterspout developed amid a flurry of tornado warnings issued by the National Weather Service up and down the Carolinas. Local media reported that other tornados had landed in both states on Thursday.
Video shared by Zapp shows a number of wrecked mobile homes, surrounded by debris ripped from the buildings. One home had been flipped on its side by the force of the winds, and others were visibly ruined beyond repair.
Power lines appeared damaged and emergency crews were on the scene. Flooding was also visible.
Local media reported that a mandatory evacuation order had been issued by the town on Thursday. Credit: Town of Emerald Isle, NC via Storyful
