When Arthur made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane last on July 3rd, Ocracoke and Hatteras Islands in North Carolina absorbed the bulk of the impact. According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, approximately 44,000 customers lost power and part of both barrier islands experienced some flooding. There were downed trees and power lines from North Carolina to Nova Scotia, but the amount of damage sustained was relatively light by insurance standards.
State Farm reported less than 50 claims in North Carolina by late yesterday afternoon. According to AIR, a section of Highway 12 on the Bonner Bridge buckled and its stability had to be assessed. The road provides a link between Hatteras and the mainland, and was eventually reopened on Saturday.
Visitors to the Outer Banks and other beaches along the coast were allowed back onto the beaches by Independence Day with warnings to watch for the dangerous rip currents courtesy of Arthur. While some July 4th festivities were rescheduled because of the storm, many went off as planned, including a spectacular display that lit up the New York City skyline.
"In the Northeast, Arthur caused localized flooding and toppled trees," said Dr. Tim Doggett, assistant vice president and senior principal scientist at AIR Worldwide. "Notably, the National Weather Service declared a flash flood emergency for the area of New Bedford, Massachusetts, which received more than 8 inches of rain at the rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour. Most of the roads in southeastern Massachusetts were impassable during the storm, and there were scattered power outages, including 19,000 people in Maine." July 4th events were postponed because of the significant rainfall totals.
Residents who sustained damage should notify their insurers, take photos and video of any damage, prevent any further damage from occurring, and check references of any contractors before hiring them.
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