Camp LeJune hunkers, 70 at shelter

By Roderick McClain

Wilmington, NC – The approach of Hurricane Irene is bringing swelling, angry seas, torrents of rain, and tree-twisting winds to southeastern North Carolina.

WHQR's Roderick McClain reports that at Camp Lejeune, all non-essential civilian and military personnel have been released and all military personnel have been restricted to base liberty.

Texas native Oscar Taylor has been training at Camp Lejeune for a week now, and he's staying at Surf City. As the rainfall comes in buckets and a stream of voluntary evacuees have trickled off the island, Taylor and company are staying about 200 meters from the churning, beach-eating surf, he says it's the first time he's seen the Atlantic.

"Tornadoes are my thing. This is kind of weird. A little stronger than a storm in Texas, I guess, that's what I'm expecting."

Taylor says he and his colleagues will wait out the storm with water, beer, and a deck of cards. Shelters are open and fully operational at Camp Lejeune. Officials say about seventy people have come in for help.

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