As Hurricane Irene advances toward North Carolina’s coast, university officials — fearing dangerous levels of rain and wind — are urging students to evacuate inland.
A hurricane warning is in effect for the whole N.C. coast, according to the National Hurricane Center, forcing both Elizabeth City State University and UNC-Wilmington to cancel their Friday afternoon and Saturday classes.
Both schools’ administrators are strongly encouraging students to evacuate.
The hurricane is expected to hit the coast Saturday afternoon as a Category 3, with winds up to 115 mph, said Barry Baxter, a meteorologist at the center.
According to an email sent to ECSU students and employees Thursday afternoon, residence halls will close at noon on Friday. Students that can’t relocate to an off-campus location must stay in the university’s gym.
About 400 to 500 people will stay in the gym, and the university will provide food and water, said ECSU Student Body President DeVon McNair.
“I’ll be in the gym tomorrow,” he said.
McNair, who is from Kinston, North Carolina, said he would rather stay with his fellow student body than evacuate.
“A lot of people don’t know that ECSU is underneath sea level, so that is the way of keeping everybody safe,” McNair said about students taking refuge in the gym.
