Hurricane Isabel -- Virginia and North Carolina

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As Hurricane Isabel approaches North Carolina, residents and businesses board up windows and hope for the best.

Agencies from around the country gather in North Carolina to monitor and study Hurricane Isabel.

Kerry Chapman unbolts the Pegasus from in front of the Jolly Roger Restaurant in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. These pieces of art are being created for the Wright Brothers Centennial Celebration this December. WIth winds in excess of 100 mph expected to arrive within 24 hours, Kerry is taking no chances and is moving thier masterpiece indoors until the fury of Isabel passes.

With Hurricane Isabel expected to make landfall tomorrow, homeowners are preparing their homes all along the projected hurricane path in anticipation of the severe weather ahead.

Local and national media are on hand to ride out the high winds, rain and surf in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Being careful to position their equipment behind the protection of the Hotel, they will be braving the storm to provide live coverage as the Hurricane Isabel passes.

Those crews arriving late are forced to park their trucks in relatively unprotected areas of the parking lot.

The community is alive with activity as homeowners board up windows, protecting them from high winds and flying debris. Here Paul De La Cruz helps board up Todd Swain's residence in Kill Devil Hills.

Donna Garvey screws plywood panels over her windows as Kenny Garvey steadys the ladder and talks with Peter Macias of the American Red Cross. Although the Red Cross is urging residents to temporally relocate to one of the 52 evacuation shelters set up in the area, some, like the Garvey's are opting to ride out the storm in their home.

In a last effort to try to convince Donna and Kenny Garvey to take shelter in one of the evactation centers, Peter Macias explains the potential dangers associated with staying in the area. The local hospital has been evacuated and there will be no local emergency medical assistance available until after Isabel passes through and it is once again safe for EMS personnel to return.

Working tirelessly to inform the local community of the potential dangers ahead as Hurricane Isabel approaches, Nancy Retherford of the American Red Cross makes a plea for residents to seek safer locations.

Paul Macias of the American Red Cross is being interviewed by Lowell Melser of WAVY - TV10. Paul, as well as the rest of the American Red Cross team is working long days to squeeze as many interviews as possible into the few hours before Hurricane Isabel is expected to unleash her high winds and surf. Broadcasting in both English and Spanish helps ensure that the information is understood by the entire community.

Strong winds area already evident as Isabel picks up ground speed on her journey toward the North Carolina coast.

Hurricane evacuation routes are clearly marked and the local police have restricted several highways to one way traffic, not allowing residents to return until after the storm passes.

Moving to safer ground, the American Red Cross team retreats to Virginia Beach, Virginia to ride out the storm. Here water splashes over the seawall, with waves alreading breaching the seawall designed to protect the city from crests of up to 9 feet over the normal ocean level.

The fury of Isabel arrives with huge waves and pounding surf. Many long-time residents commented that this was the worst sea they had ever seen in this area.

This pier in Virginia Beach was no match for Isabel's fierce surf. The end of the pier was being eaten by the wave action as Hurricane Isabel's unrelentless surf devoured all but the most sturdy structures.

Bob Zajko of WBBF TV is treated by Liz Longshore of the American Red Cross. Bob was hit by flying debris as he prepared for a live TV broadcast.

Stanley Heist's hand is being splinted by Liz Longshore and Nancy Retherford of the American Red Cross. Stanley's hand was crushed when a fierce gust of wind ripped the door from his grip and slammed it against his other hand.

Even though our hotel was designed to withstand 180 mph winds. The rain found its way into the rooms, coming in around the sliding glass doors and in my case, also dripping from the ceiling. One particularly strong gust blew the corner of my sliding door from its frame and exposed my room to the fierce winds. In the few moments it took us to force the door back on its track. the wind blew the contents of my room in all directions.

Part way through the Hurricane, we lost power at the Hotel (we left this hotel 3 days later and we still had no power or hot water -- cold showers are fun... Debris is everywhere, both inside and outside the Hotel.

Peter Macias of the Ameriacn Red Cross talks with Robin Mogk and her daughters Angel and Sarah in the evacuation shelter set up in a high school gymnasium in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Sarah creates this drawing to show her appreciation of the American Red Cross. It's moments like this that remind us why we do what we do. Over 28,000 individuals took refuge in the shelters to ride out the worst of the storm.

Bonnie Gillespie with the American Red Cross chats with Dayna Pereles while her son Dominic, age 13 months, rests peacefully. Even though the winds were gusting to 80 miles per hour and fierce rains pelted the building outside, inside all were safe and warm.

Sometimes a friendly face and a warm smile can make all the difference...

Barbara Henry, holding her 7 month old son Kaire, shares a laugh with Bonnie Gillespie of the American Red Cross. A total of 162 shelters were opened in North Carolina and Virginia to provide a safe environment to ride out the storm.

Twin boys Keshaun and Khallel, age 5, play with their mom, Barbara Henry, while baby brother Kaire sleeps. This picture was taken around 5pm Thursday night as the worst of the storm was passing through outside.

It was nearly impossible to hold the camera steady in the strong winds.

As the sun rises on Friday morning, life begins to return to normal for some. Our job is entering the next phase as the Red Cross begins the process of damage assessment and providing disaster relief.

Fallen trees blocked many main streets near our hotel in Virginia Beach. Driving at night was particularly difficult as many of the streets remained blocked for several days and had no flares or cones to warn of road blockages. With resources pushed to the limit, curfews were imposed in several communities to allow utility crews unrestricted access to clean up the mess and restore power.

A local 4 Wheel Drive club volunteered to assist the Red Cross damage assessment teams in assessing the hardest hit areas.

The day after Isabel blew through, we began the distribution of disaster relief supplies. Here food and supplies arrive on an 18 wheeler and are placed into Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles for distribution into the neighborhoods.

Bonnie Gillespie of the American Red Cross tacks a sign to a telephone pole near Kill Devil Hills in the Outer Banks area of North Carolina. Even though the residents were not yet being allowed back into the affected area, we began the process of hanging signs explaining how to contact the American Red Cross for Disaster Assistance. Washover from the tidal surge floods the streets with salt water.

The tidal surge sent an estimated 8 foot high wall of water over the beach in some areas. Many homes like the one seen here in Nags Head, North Carolina were no match for the force of the storm. Much of the damage was caused when the wave action eroded the beach under the structures, which then fell into the sea. It is estimated that the entire shoreline lost 500,000 cubic yards of sand -- enough to fill 50,000 dump trucks.

Hurricane Isabel victim Sean O�Dea talks with Bonnie Gillespie of the American Red Cross amid the sandy aftermath of the powerful storm surge that pounded the beaches of Nags Head, NC.

Sean O'Dea and Evelyn Rollason of Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina chat with Bonnie Gillespie of the American Red Cross amid the wreckage caused by Hurricane Isabel.

"We had one person whose house completely collapsed into the sound -- she lost everything." said Evelyn Rollason, a city of Manteo official. "But it�s down around Cape Hatteras where they�re really going to need help."

Hurricane Isabel claimed 17 lives and left more than six million people from North Carolina to New York without power. Early damage estimates from the storm have skyrocketed into the billions of dollars, with more than $300 million in destruction reported in Cape Hatteras, NC, the area most devastated by the category 2 hurricane.

A convoy of utility trucks slush through the flooded streets of Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina on Friday evening, September 19th. Residents hope that power will soon be restored.

As soon as the storm passed, Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) were stocked and ready to go immediately into the most heavily affected areas.

Highway 12 through the Outer Banks was buried under several feet of sand washed up by the tidal surge. Road crews worked through the day and night to open the roads to allow homeowners access to their property.

Heavily damaged communities along the coastline imposed curfews in order to dissuade residents from venturing into potentially dangerous areas, and the Outer Banks remained off limits to evacuated residents attempting to return home. Saturated roadways held more than 12 inches of water in some places, while submerged waterfront properties were completely inaccessible because of perilous floodwaters and debris.

Structural damage varied in extremes along the Carolina coast because, according to many residents who rode out the storm, the communities were prepared. Windows were boarded-up days in advance and most homes were initially constructed with hurricane force winds in mind. However, Isabel�s might still surprised some locals.

"I was scared when I heard the storm was coming because you never know what can happen," said Kat Ducharme of Kill Devil Hills. "My son Steven is away at basic training and I had to write him a letter that could have been the last letter that I ever wrote him -- how do you do that?"

Across the nine states rattled by Isabel, damage estimates have already soared into the billions of dollars. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approximates that more than 10,000 homes were damaged in North Carolina alone by the ferocious 105 mph winds.

The insurance industry estimates Isabel will cost about $1 billion in claims. Many homes, like this one washed off its foundation in Hatteras are a complete loss.

Drifting sand clogs the streets of Hattaras, North Carolina. Cleanup efforts are continuing around the clock as anxious homeowners are restricted from entering the worst hurricane affected areas.

Cape Hattaras, North Carolina

Cape Hatteras area, North Carolina

Each Red Cross member is given an orientation and situation update before being deployed into the disaster affected area.

This map shows the hurricane path through North Carolina.

Red Cross ERV team members Barbara Smith of Whittier, NC and Ellie Grieshaber of Ashevill, NC prepare their Emergency Response Vehicle to deliver food to families without electricity.

Prepared for a "snack run", this ERV is stocked with water, juice, fresh fruit,and a variety of sweet and salty snacks.

Chuck Connor, Senior Vice President of Communications and Marketing for the American Red Cross from the National Headquarters in Washington DC talks with Nancy Retherford, Public Affairs Officer for the Hurricane Isabel Disaster Relief Effort in the State of North Carolina.

Knowing what collaborating agencies are set up in the community allows us to provide our clients with information of other services available. Here Bonnie Gillespie of the American Red Cross talks with Terry Griffin of Samaritan's Purse. Their organization lends cleanup tool such as chainsaws and power washers for cleanup purposes.

Jan Gore fills cambros with pears that will be taken by ERVs into the affected community. Each cambro can hold approximately 250 servings.

Taylor Anne Ambrose helps out by washing and sterilizing cambros, which are used to transport food from the Southern Baptist kitchens to families needing assistance. The American Red Cross and the Southern Baptists have a long history of working together in providing food to disaster affected famalies.

ERVs line up at the Southern Baptist Kitchen in Williamston, North Carolina. As soon as the food is ready, they will be off into the communities bringing hot meals to the doorsteps of those in need.

Cambros waiting to be loaded on Red Cross ERVs sit on the sidewalk outside the Southern Baptist Kitchen in Williamston, North Carolina.

Over 100 ERVs were brought in from Red Cross chapters throughout the country to assist in the distribution of food and cleanup supplies.

Bonnie Gillespie of the American Red Cross plays ball with Silence Hinton, age 2, at a mobile feeding site set up in Tarboro, North Carolina. As of September 23rd, over 86,000 meals have been served to Hurricane Isabel victims.

Shawnquavius Hinton reaches for a snack from Red Cross ERV crewmember Jerry Camp of Birmingham, Alabama.

Kellie Wilkins of Tarboro, North Carolina gives photographer Gene Dailey a hard time as Bonnie Gillespie boosts Silence Hinton up to the snack window.

Virginia Whitehead of Tarboro, North Carolina is all smiles as she receives hot meals for her family. The utility company is estimating it will take 7 to 10 days to restore power to her community.

Corine Stanley of Tarboro, North Carolina receives a hot meal from Red Cross crewmember Jerry Camp.

Rodney DerBrew picks up hot meals and water for his family in Tarboro, North Carolina.

Homewoners in many inland areas sustained major damage due to falling trees. Heavy rainfall prior to the arrival of Hurricane Isabel softened the ground so many trees were simply pushed over by the high winds.

Memories are all that remain of some structures.

The Spirit of America, a 53 foot long mobile kitchen capable of producing 30,000 hot meals per day was brougnt into North Carolina to provide hot, home-style meals to residents of the affected areas. Henry's Kitchen, another similar mobile kitchen, was placed in Virginia.

Several airplane hangers at the Manteo, North Caroliona airport were destroyed by the high winds.

The Spirit of American is a completely self contained kitchen with its own onboard water supply, greywater storage tanks, four 85 gallon propane tanks, and a diesel generator capable of powering the kitchen for 36 hours between refills. Food is stored in trailers parked next to the Spirit. These railers contain dry goods, regrigerated items, individual servings of bottled water and other supplies.

Carolyn Patterson of Trinity, North Carolina checks the cleanup kits and other bulk distribution items she will be delivering to various locations throughout the area. Residents with damage can pick these items up at shelters, fixed feeding sites, fire stations, and other locations conveniently located in the affected communities.

Due to the heavy flooding and subsequent overflowing of septic tanks, much of the underground water supply in the area was contaminated. The health department urged all residents to have their water checked before drinking or cooking with it.

Ten year old Raymond Winchester, Jr. of Atlantic, North Carolina helps unload cleanup kits brought in from a local warehouse. Richard Dahme of Altantic Beverage Company hands another unit to Raymond's mom, Candy as 20 year Red Cross volunteer Roberto Mendoza looks on. Atlantic Beverage Company of New Bern, North Carolina donated their truck and driver to pickup and deliver the relief supplies.

Local residents volunteered the use of their private vehicles to help the Red Cross quickly deliver cleanup supplies to the local residents. Many in this area sustained substantial flood damage. Often the volunteers helping deliver cleanup supplies had suffered damage to their own homes but were out helping others and stated they would clean up their own mess later.

Flood waters rose to a height of approximately three feet inside the homes in this community along Highway 70 near Atlantic, North Carolina. The streets were littered with discarded carpet, furniture and appliances.

On first glance, it appears that the damage to this mobile home is limited to the broken porch, but upon closer inspection one sees that the water rose into this unit to a height of 2 feet and stayed at that height for four hours, completely destroying the home.

Jack Shock, a Red Cross volunteer from Arkansas, talks with Darrell Taylor on the porch of the home he shares with his mom, Norma. Darrel's father build this house in the early 1940s. Flood waters rose to a height of almost 3 feet inside the home, destroying everything and severely buckeling the floors. Even though the electricity has been restored, the fire department told them not to turn on the circuit breakers or they would be "sizzled."

Norma Taylor of Sealevel, North Carolina lost her husband this last December and has now lost her home to the tidal surge caused by Hurricane Isabel. Even though the home still stands, it is probably uninhabitable. Seawater flooded the home for an estimated 3-4 hours and mold and mildew have already begun to grow on the walls throughout the house. She, her son, and daughter hope to be able to get a mobile home to replace their existing house but they have no money and did not have flood insurance.

This is the Taylor's home. All their belongings lay on the front lawn, ruined by salt water flooding. Behind the home stands the mobile home of Norma's daughter -- also destroyed in the storm. They patiently wait for the FEMA representative to arrive and hope for the best.

Darrell Taylor was involved in an auto accident a few years ago which forced him to move back home to Sealevel, North Carolina. He now works part time, averaging only 27 hours every two weeks. His only mode of transportation, a motorcycle, was ruined when submerged in seawater. He's not sure how he will get back and forth to work which is 19 miles away.

Normal Taylor shows a duck carved by her late husband and painted by her daughter to Red Cross volunteer Jack Shock. The Taylors suplemented their meager income by selling these carvings at local craft fairs. The insurance money Norma received when her husband passed away last December is long gone and now the few remaining carvings have been damaged by seawater. Norma's husband used only a hatchet and a pocket knife to make these beautiful works of art.

Supersaturated soil allowed the strong winds of Hurricane Isabel to uproot and topple trees throughout the area.

This home, along the beachfront in Sealevel, North Carolina, was lifted by the tidal surge and moved back approximately 15 feet. Completely off the foundation pillars on one side and precariously balancing on the remaining few seen here, this home is probably beyond repair.

The force of the tidal surge is evident by the way the metal siding has been torn loose and peeled back.

The good news for this homowner is that he had flood insurance. The bad news is that many in the area either couldn't afford, or simply did not opt to have flood coverage.

Darrell Shock of the American Red Cross surveys the damage to this home in Sealevel, North Carolina. Luckily this homeowner had flood insurance.

As you drive west out of Sealevel, residents have their belongings stacked by the side of the road, waiting to be hauled away. Most everything submerged in seawater was ruined.

Hearing the need for volunteers, Monica Brown and her daughter Toni joined Hannah Beasley and Susan Hancock by serving meals provided by the American Red Cross. Neighbors came from the surrounding communities to the fireshouse which was acting as a distribution center for food and cleanup supplies. Several fire trucks in this area were also ruined when submerged by the tidal surge. Only five fire vehicles remain in working condition according to the chief of the volunteer fire department.

The fireshouse was built on higher ground which was supposed to protect it from floodwater, but as you can see here the water reached a depth of approximately 15 inches ruining the furniture and much of their supplies.

More examples of the loss of property caused by Hurricane Isabel.

Del McPeak explains to Perlis Nixon of Roper, North Carolina how to contact the Red Cross for assistance. Long lines at service centers have been eliminated by using the national call center (1-866-GET-INFO) to register for Red Cross assistance. Family service outreach teams then go directly to the families to provide assistance.

CRVs (Communication Response Vehicles) were driven into the areas without electricity and telephone service. These trucks provide telephone service via satelite communications allowing families to register for both Red Cross and FEMA assistance. Families who have been unable to contact loved ones to let them know they are OK can also make these calls here.

Jan Kinsella explains to Representative Arthur Williams of the North Carolina House of Representatives 6th District how the CRV works and how it helps us better serve those in need.

1SG Charles Oakley poses with Red Cross volunteers Alice Garland, Sally Plyler, Teresa Parker and Tracey House by one of the the trucks they use to deliver cleanup supplies. Once Red Cross supplies were delivered to distribution points, the physical distribution was facilitated by members of the armed forces and other local volunteers.

Cleanup kits, fresh water and bottles of Clorox await distribution at the Roper Volunteer Fire Department in Roper, North Carolina.

Distribution was very organized. The fire engines were moved from two bays, making two drive-through service lines. Here residents pickep up water, meals and cleanup supplies without having to get out of their cars.

The Army used some of their local heavy equipment to assist with the movement of bulk distribution items from warehouses to the actual points of distribution.

Randy Carter takes advantage of the satelite communications available from the CRV located in the parking lot across the street from the fire department in Roper, North Carolina.

In total, more than 1.8 million customers lost power as a result of Hurricane Isabel. The force of the winds was enough to snap power poles, thereby breaking and shorting out power lines. Crew were called in from surrounding states to restore power as quickly as possible -- still many were without electricity for 7 to 10 days. Garbage cans filled with spoiled food lined the roadways.

Sometimes entire buildings were lifted by the strong winds and tossed around causing even more damage.

This metal structure was rolled up by the high winds and blown across the street onto a neighbors yard.

Not even the Golden Arches could withstand Isabel's fury.

Along Highway 92, north of Edenton, North Carolina.

Wind damage caused by Hurricane Isabel.