Wilmington also declares state of emergency

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The City of Wilmington joined New Hanover County Friday in declaring a state of emergency,

A City of Wilmington new release said it went into effect at 6 p.m. City leaders made the decision saying they wanted to be extra cautious as heavy rains continue, and Hurricane Joaquin starts to travel north along the East Coast.

Even though there will not be any travel restrictions within the city, city leaders urge you to be very careful while driving because there already is ponding on the roads.

They also remind you to clear any yard debris so it doesn’t block storm drains, avoid driving or walking through standing water, turn on your headlights along with your windshield wipers, and treat any signaled intersection without power like a four-way-stop.

Here are the numbers you’ll want to call for the following problems:

• To report downed power lines and power outages, call Duke Energy Progress at 800-419-6356. View a map of power outages
• Call 341-7852 to report trees or tree limbs blocking roadways within city limits (leave a message if no one answers)
• Call 341-4646 to report flooding or other stormwater issues within city limits (leave a message if no one answers)