Hurricane (Typhoon) in Craven, North Carolina

Hurricane Bertha slammed into the North Carolina coastline between Surf City and North Topsail Beach causing severe damage to property, utilities and roads. Hardest hit were agricultural crops which suffered losses in excess of $126 million. Heaviest damage was in Topsail Beach and all of Onslow County up the coast to Emerald Isle in Carteret County. In Onslow alone, 199 structures were destroyed (117 were mobile homes). An 8-10 foot storm surge struck Swansboro and Emerald Isle. Several businesses were flooded. Water flowed through the streets of Belhaven in Beaufort County where the surge was around 7 feet. In New Bern, numerous boats were sunk or damaged at 3 private marinas. Fishing piers were demolished all along the coast. New River (Marine Corps Air Station in Jacksonville) reported a peak wind gust of 108 mph. Rainfall across the region ranged from 8 inches in the Hofman Forest (Onslow) to 6 1/2 inches in Broad Creek to over 5 1/2 in Snow Hill and Washington.