PHOTOS: Bald Head Island close to welcoming residents back after storm

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Residents will soon be permitted to return to Bald Head Island nearly two weeks after Hurricane Florence came ashore in southeastern North Carolina.

Until now, the only people allowed on the island were those assisting with the recovery process.

Chris McCall, Village Manager for Bald Head Island, said some business owners have also been allowed on the island because they were considered “essential to the recovery process.”

As of Thursday morning, power had been restored to more than 40 percent of the island and McCall said he hoped Duke Energy crews would be able to significantly boost that number by the end of the day.

The good news is that no homes were a total loss on the island but many have minor storm damage.  At least six residents remained on the island during the height of the category 1 storm.

McCall said the primary reason why homeowners have not been allowed to return to the island is due to excessive flooding issues. Since the island is only accessible by golf carts, many of the roads were flooded and covered with vegetative debris.

Even if residents had been allowed back onto the island immediately following the hurricane, McCall said they would not have had any means to get from one point to another.

McCall said prior to the hurricane and every day since, he has sent out a personal email to residents updating them on recovery efforts to restore infrastructure throughout the island.

On Wednesday, the mayor sent a message saying they were close to having the island open for residents to return and check out their property.

By this weekend, McCall said he hopes to have the ferry service back in service and residents should be allowed to return home.

“We’re so close and we want everyone to come back,” McCall said.