2.7 Million People in Path of Hurricane Ophelia, Census Bureau Estimates

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

2.7 Million People in the Path of Hurricane Ophelia, Census Bureau Estimates

9/14/2005 1:09:00 PM

To: National and State Desks

Contact: Stephen Buckner of the U.S. Census Bureau, 301-763-3586 or 301-457-1037 (TDD), [e-mail]

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 2.4 million people living along the East Coast in North Carolina and Virginia could experience tropical and hurricane storm force winds as Hurricane Ophelia nears landfall somewhere along the Outer Banks of North Carolina (from Cape Lookout to Cape Hatteras).

There are 16 coastal counties in North Carolina in the hurricane warning area, with a total population of more than 700,000. Census Bureau population estimates show that in 2004, New Hanover County (which includes Wilmington, N.C.) had a population of about 174,000 and is the most populated coastal county in Hurricane Ophelia's path. Other coastal counties bracing for the storm's impact include Bertie (population 19,600), Brunswick (85,000), Camden (8,400), Carteret (62,000), Chowan (14,600), Currituck (22,000), Dare (34,000), Hyde (6,000), Onslow (154,000), Pamlico (12,800), Pasquotank (37,000), Pender (45,000), Perquimans (11,800), Tyrrell (4,100) and Washington (13,000).

An estimated 824,000 people in Virginia are also in the hurricane watch and tropical storm warning areas -- including those in the cities of Hampton (146,000), Norfolk (238,000) and Virginia Beach (440,000).

Yesterday, as then Tropical Storm Ophelia moved north along the Atlantic Coast, nearly 1 million South Carolina residents experienced tropical storm force winds.

Based on the latest storm advisory issued by the National Hurricane Center at 11 a.m. EDT, Hurricane Ophelia has maximum sustained winds near 85 miles per hour, with hurricane force winds extending 50 miles and tropical force winds reaching outward 140 miles. Hurricane Ophelia is the 15th named storm of the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: The above calculations are based on projections of the storm's path from the National Hurricane Center, a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Weather Service, and Census Bureau population estimates as of July 1, 2004. These data do not present a full picture of the seasonal population increases of coastal or other tourist areas.

http://www.usnewswire.com/

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=53322

[barbaraann]

1. Blackwater is in Currituck County.

n/t

[cliss]

2. Amazing. We're still in the middle of the hurricane

season. I wonder if there will be any money left after N. Orleans? Don't get me wrong. I think they should spent every penny on those poor people down there.

But with the war in Iraq, I don't think there will be much if anything left for Ophelia.

God Damn riverboat gamblers.

[geomon666]

3. Looks like the eye already made landfall.

Just east of Wilmington. There'll be another advisory posted at 2pm EST.