As Hurricane Irene churns through the Atlantic Ocean, residents and visitors in the Myrtle Beach area keep an eye on the path of the storm. Emergency manager, Randy Webster, urges residents to gather supplies for emergency kits and be ready to evacuate.
Your kit should contain the following items.
1.non-perishable foods
2. drinking water
3. flashlights,extra batteries, and bulbs
4. battery powered radios
5. first-aid kit and manual
6. medicines
7. personal hygiene items
8. cash and credit cards
9. important documents
If you live in a hurricane prone area be ready to evacuate and know the best route to follow. You can stay with friends out of the area or head for a motel. Be ready to drive 20 to 50 miles inland and carry some additional items in your kit. Have on hand, road maps, jumper cables and tire repair kits. If you choose to stay in a shelter, be sure to bring blankets, pillows and special food, if on a restricted diet.
Hurricane Irene is considered a major and dangerous storm that can cause extensive damage. If the storm hits Myrtle Beach as a category 3 or 4 many scenerios can play out. Most lives are lost due to a storm surge on the coast. A storm surge is the water that is pushed toward the shore from intense winds caused by the hurricane. This surge can damage houses ,boats and piers in the path of the rising water. The excessive winds can travel inland, damaging structures and blowing down trees,shrubs and signs. Flooding waters and high winds can destroy mobile homes and poorly built houses.
Weather experts will continue to moniter Hurricane Irene for the next several days to keep the public informed. Residents of the Myrtle Beach area and the entire southeast coast should be on alert and prepared for anything. Hurricanes are unpredictable and change course at a moments notice.
Ref:// The Sun News, McClatchy Newspapers,08/23/11.