UPDATE: Officials now estimate between six and 10 days for power to be fully restored for Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands.
Governor Roy Cooper ordered a mandatory evacuation of tourists on the islands after a contractor sliced through a line carrying electricity from mainland Dare County late last week. The islands are now running on alternative backup generators, but residents are being advised to reduce their electricity consumption.
The tourist exodus comes in the midst of high season for business owners. The outage has spurred some business owners to launch a class action lawsuit against PCL Constructors, the construction contractor that severed the power lines. Host Frank Stasio speaks with WUNC reporter Jason deBruyn about how residents there are coping.
