Hurricane Hazel town hall meeting tonight marks storm’s 60th anniversary

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The 60th anniversary of Hurricane Hazel serves as an eerie reminder of how vulnerable the Cape Fear region is to the impacts of major hurricanes. From catastrophic storm surge and deadly inland flooding to destructive winds, all of which were seen when Hurricane Hazel arrived in the region.

Although many people living in the area today have been through a tropical storm or hurricane, not many have been through a storm as severe as Hazel. As a result of the limited experiences that people have regarding hurricanes, the perception of risk they share is likely misconstrued creating a false sense of security.

The Hazel Town Hall meeting tonight will provide the public with the opportunity to learn about what happened when Hazel made landfall, to better understand the impacts from a major hurricane today and how the landscape may look, how the county will respond and how they can better prepare themselves to make it through a disaster.

WWAY Chief Meteorologist Scott Dean will be there presenting about the impact Hazel had on the Port City.

The Hazel Town Hall meeting is from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Cape Fear Museum on Market Street in Wilmington.