Governor Roy Cooper gave what he says will be his final update on Hurricane Irma damage and relief Tuesday, joined by members of his emergency management team.
The bottom line: except for some localized damage, downed electrical lines and dreary weather, North Carolina got relatively lucky.
There were major power outages and downed trees in the West – Cooper cited a five county area that included Mecklenburg and Buncombe counties – along with significant rains in the East. But the governor's message in this briefing was simple: we were prepared, and we dodged a bullet.
After making landfall, Hurricane Irma continued to drift west of North Carolina, and the state missed the brunt of the storm.
Now, Cooper says the state is offering help to others.
“All things considered, North Carolina has been very fortunate in the wake of Hurricane Irma. Some of our neighbors to the south have not been as fortunate,” the governor said. “We continue to reach out to Florida, Georgia and others to see what help we can provide.”
While most of the emergency assets that had been activated for the storm are being withdrawn, crews have been dispatched to help clear roads and clean up downed trees in the Western part of the state.
Cooper also warned that, while the worst of Irma has passed, people should stay prepared, as the hurricane season is not yet over.