NC’s told their Tourists to leave Outer Banks before Irene

BUXTON, N.C. (AP) — A Hurricane watch was subjected early Thursday for much of the North Carolina coast.  Tens of thousands of tourists on North Carolina’s were fleeing an exposed strip of coastal villages and beaches off North Carolina.
They are being told to cut short vacations and run off the uncovered strip of coastal villages and beaches as Hurricane Irene approaches.
The storm is expected to come on shore Saturday in North Carolina with winds of around 115 mph (185 kph). Forecasters predict it will then bang up the East Coast, discarding rain from Virginia to New York City before a much-weakened form trudges through New England.
An evacuation order for Dare County went into effect Thursday morning and officials estimated up to 150,000 tourists would be leaving. Authorities concerned about traffic closed schools in Dare and a neighboring county on what was to be the first day of the academic year.
Few of the visitors left that place on Wednesday night to keep away from traffic on the main road that hacks through many communities.
"It's going to be a mess," said 66-year-old Buxton resident Leon Reasor as he stood inside a local bait shop. "Anyone who tells you they're not worried is a liar."