US Beach Town Braces For Powerful Hurricane Florence

Wrightsville Beach, EtatsUnis, Sept 12 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Sep, 2018 ) :Wooden planks boarding up windows, sandbags lining the edge of the placid-for-now ocean: locals of one seaside resort in North Carolina are maintaining relative calm as they gird for Hurricane Florence -- an attitude somewhat masking their anxiety, as the potentially catastrophic storm closes in on them.

As skies fluctuated Tuesday between heavy showers and occasional bright spots, a certain sunny outlook swaddled Wrightsville Beach, despite the looming arrival of Florence's heavy winds and inundating rains that has prompted widespread evacuations along the southeastern US coast.

Kevin Goricki, who came to visit the normally idyllic area -- known as the backdrop for the hit 2000s-era series "Dawson's Creek" -- still intends to enjoy the beach with his family.

The 29-year-old said he already went through 2011's Hurricane Irene, and cited flooding as the worst threat.

He doesn't fear for his family's safety, though, saying they will hunker down at his sister's third-floor home.

"I must confess I like the atmosphere around it," he said, looking out over the Atlantic.

But others are more wary: Mexican restaurant Tower Seven has closed and barricaded its doors to customers since Tuesday, hanging a sign on the door warning people to "be safe." Jim Wenning, a regular there, arrived at the scene to help the boss try "to avoid additional damage." "We haven't see a storm like this since the 1950s," said the construction worker, drill in hand. "It could be chaotic around here for a week or so."He lives a bit further inland, and has yet to decide whether he will evacuate.

"I'll leave if the winds are still above 130 mph, because my house hasn't been built to resist more," he said. "I'll make a last minute decision."