Power in the area is slowly being restored but officials are making no guarantees on when the work will be completed.
Some sources say it will take as much as three days for power to be restored in the area.
In Weldon, where a curfew was established, police Chief Mark Macon said there was one case of looting at the Blue Flame, where the plate glass window was busted through and cigarettes stolen. Roanoke Rapids interim police Chief Jeff Hinton said three break-ins were reported in the city where cigarettes were taken. Hinton said he could not tie the break-ins to the power outages.
(More photos on our Facebook page)
Power along Roanoke Avenue was restored late this morning and some areas along Julian R. Allsbrook Highway in the Weldon area was restored.
Many people flocked to Travel World and the Oasis on Highway 903 to buy gas.
The majority of the area remains without power and there remain numerous trees down throughout the area. “The public works and fire department are working hard to get the roads cleared. We are asking people if they would to stay off the roads and streets,” Hinton said.
Interim City Manager Ed Wyatt said the city has put together an assessment team to survey damages throughout the city. Early speculation is the monetary damages associated with Hurricane Irene will match, if not exceed, those from April's tornado.
Hurricane Irene's impact on the area was different than most, Wyatt said, with the most devastating part happening at its end rather than beginning.
Wyatt confirmed what Interim Public Works Director Larry Chalker said Saturday, that the city should be reimbursed through the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the costs associated with the storm, which is one of the most devastating in recent history.
Throughout Halifax County, 47 houses were reported damaged during the hurricane, Public Information Officer Ginny Orvedahl said. Two people sustained minor injuries when a tree fell through their house.
Orvedahl said assessment teams are going throughout the county to survey damages. People who sustained damage during the storm should call 252-583-2031.
