By Peter Biello & Associated Press reports
Brunswick County, NC – The rain bands are beginning to move ashore. Brunswick County remains under a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch due to tropical storm Hanna.
The National Weather Service has recorded wind gusts of 28mph on Oak Island, 27mph in Southport and 20mph in St. James. High tide is at 12:28am and will be 8-9 ft with the storm surge, rainfall of 3-7 inches is expected.
More than 150 people fled to emergency shelters in Brunswick County.
At West Brunswick High School in Shallotte at least two dozen people inflated air mattresses and marked off sections of the school for their families.
Janice Bryan of Southport went to West Brunswick High School for the night. She says she was confident Hanna wouldn't cause damage like past storms have.
"But you don't want to run any chances, and I sleep better if I know the roof's not going to fall in."
The shelter also took in residents in wheelchairs who needed assistance, the elderly, and people who lived in mobile homes.
Oak Island
As the storm blew through Brunswick County Friday night, Brunswick County Sheriff Deputies and North Carolina State Troopers were on patrol responding to reports of cars in ditches.
Some restaurants were open. And Oak Island Cab Driver Kelly Sanders spent the night driving people to them.
Her job brought her to the Huddle House, a diner just over the bridge to Oak Island.
"Well I just took a guy from about the middle of the island up to Huddle House because he didn't want to eat at the restaurant he works at. Does that tell you anything?"
Sanders says she was also hired to transport people to and from Tropical Storm Hanna parties being celebrated across the island.
Sunset Beach
Some of the people who stayed in their homes along the coast found time to visit the beach before the storm hit.
Sunset Beach closed the bridge into the island. Mary Bresmond of Sunset Beach came out to the bridge to watch Hanna's arrival.
"I already got a phone call from the family. Are you okay?' I said, Yes, guess what? I was at the beach. Course I couldn't go across the bridge."
Rain and heavy winds made for difficult driving conditions by nightfall.
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