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JACKSONVILLE, N.C. \u2014 Residents of eastern North Carolina are reflecting on the lasting impacts of Hurricane Fran, 30 years after the devastating Category 3 storm made landfall on the coast.<\/p>\n
The historic storm hit the coastline on Sept. 5, 1996, just a few short months after Hurricane Bertha had already battered the region. Despite expectations that Bertha had cleared away the most vulnerable structures, Fran brought heavy winds and rains that caused widespread destruction across coastal cities, including Jacksonville and New Bern.<\/p>\n
Glenn Hargett, a Jacksonville native and former news director for radio station WJNC, recalled working through the storm to keep the local community informed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe winds peaked at about 105 [mph] according to our weather station here, and it moved our satellite dish so we lost our feed from New York and other places nationally that we were getting news from,\u201d Hargett said.<\/p>\n
While some residents believed Bertha\u2019s earlier impact would lessen Fran\u2019s blow, Hargett noted that was not the case.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt did that, but Fran was bigger than Bertha and it had devastating effects,\u201d Hargett said.<\/p>\n
Before Fran made landfall, approximately 1,600 Jacksonville residents had already sought safety in local shelters. The storm left many without electricity for several weeks.<\/p>\n
In Jacksonville, the extensive damage resulted in the tragic death of a pregnant woman inside her home.<\/p>\n
Though rebuilding and recovery efforts took considerable time, local residents say the memories of the storm remain vivid three decades later. Hargett said the experience serves as a lasting reminder of the importance of seasonal storm preparedness.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou just adapt, and that\u2019s what hurricanes have taught us to do here is to be prepared and adapt, because it\u2019s not going to work perfectly,\u201d Hargett said.<\/p>\n
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