Roanoke Rapids Mayor declares state of emergency, curfew issued until Sunday
ROANOKE RAPIDS, N.C. (WTVD) -- A state of emergency has been declared for the City of Roanoke Rapids.
City Mayor E. Doughtie signed the declaration on Saturday after strong storms blew through the area on Friday, leaving behind widespread damage.
A curfew has also been put into place from 11 p.m. Saturday until 6 a.m. Sunday morning.
The city said crews are continuing to work to fix issues caused by the storm, and that anyone who is not essential to public safety or not traveling for work should remain indoors.
During a press conference on Saturday, city officials said there are multiple trees that have fallen at parks and across roads, causing damage or making travel difficult.
"I think at this point, it's not possible to quantify how many streets are still closed. Majority are open," Roanoke Rapids Police Chief Lawrence Wiggins said. "There are so many crews that have come in to help with public works, clearing different trees...It's really difficult to say what's still open and what's not. There are a number of crews working all over the city."
No injuries have been reported.
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Officials placed the city under a curfew on Friday evening after the storms left thousands without power.
ABC11 spoke with Roanoke Rapids City Manager Kelly Traynham on Friday, who said crews worked as quickly as possible to restore power to residents.
"At right about 6:45, the winds picked up and the wind was howling, and the rain started pouring," she said. "Power outages caused by falling trees and limbs have been the primary reports at this time. We are still assessing damage."
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