RALEIGH, NC — A State of Emergency has been issued for Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands after a construction accident caused a severe power outage Thursday afternoon.
According to reports, the outage occurred when a construction company building the Bonner Bridge drove a steel casing into an electric transmission cable.
Governor Cooper signed the State of Emergency shortly after learning that Hyde County officials had issued a mandatory evacuation for visitors on Ocracoke Island around 5pm. The executive order waives weight and hours of service restrictions, which will allow utility and other truck drivers to deliver supplies and resources to the affected areas quicker and easier.
βThis declaration will allow us to move much needed resources through the state as quickly as possible to help restore the power to Ocracoke and Hatteras Islands,βΒ Governor Cooper said.
Officials say the waiver is in effect until it is rescinded.
