(EDITOR'S NOTE: This story is a followup to one that was posted last week before the storm made landfall.)
Former Gainesville resident Bucky Springle, who rode out Hurricane Florence in Morehead City, N.C., says it was "awful" as the storm made landfall a week ago and moved inland.
Springle, who is from Atlantic Beach, N.C., is back home now - has power, TV, and Internet service and, in a series of emails Thursday, reflected on the past week.
"(Last) Thursday night and Friday morning were awful. Lots of damage mainly from, three tornadoes. As it stands now, our situation is just like a bad ice storm there (back in Gainesville). Lots of cleanup, lots of trees down, flooding inland, (which) has closed all the major highways."
Atlantic Beach, N.C. is just a few minutes drive from Morehead City where he stayed with friends for the duration of the storm.
"Had surge flooding in Atlantic Beach, some road flooding in Morehead. I heard we had 29 inches of rain and 95 mph winds, but news was hard to come by with no TV and limited Internet access."
Springle says he and his friends ventured out last Friday morning as the storm was still pounding Morehead City.
"We went out and rode around Friday morning, pouring rain and 40-50 mph winds. Lots of snapped off trees from the tornadoes."
He said his friend's house was not damaged but he had a number of trees blown down and the first estimate for tree removal on his property was more than $5,000."
Springle says he is "very fortunate" that his home, a second-floor condo, suffered no damage, and things are almost back to normal. "Power, TV and Internet are back on."
(Click here to read the story that was posted last week.)
