Outer Banks Wild Horses Survive Hurricane Florence

The famed wild horses on North Carolina’s Outer Banks survived Hurricane Florence.

The Corolla Wild Horse Fund, an organization group devoted to protecting and managing the herd of wild Colonial Spanish Mustangs, said that the horses were “doing their normal thing ... grazing, socializing, and wondering what us crazy humans are all worked up over,” according to The Associated Press reported.

The National Park Service’s Cape Hatteras National Seashore wrote that all of the ponies in another herd in the area “are safe.”

“We are happy to announce that all of the Ocracoke ponies are safe and that the pony pen did not sustain any damage from Hurricane Florence,” it said.

Last week, there were forecasts that predicted Florence would make a direct hit on the Outer Banks.

Florence Update

The Associated Press reported that 13 people have died in Florence-related deaths. About 740,000 homes and businesses remained without power in the Carolinas, and utilities said some could be out for weeks.

The head of Federal Emergency Management Agency, Brock Long, said officials were still focused on finding and rescuing people.

“We’ll get through this. It’ll be ugly, but we’ll get through it,” Long told NBC’s “Meet The Press.”

President Donald Trump noted the deaths due to Florence in a Twitter post.

“Deepest sympathies and warmth go out to the families and friends of the victims,” Trump tweeted. “May God be with them!”

In an update on 11 a.m., the National Hurricane Center said Florence is continuing to produce heavy rainfall over North Carolina and northern South Carolina. It warned that river flooding and flash flooding will persist.

The storm, a tropical depression, is moving to the northwest at 11 mph.

“Flash flood warnings are currently in effect across a large portion of southeastern North Carolina and portions of far northeastern South Carolina,” the agency said. “Flash flood watches are in effect across much of North Carolina ... northern South Carolina and portions of southwest Virginia.”

Some weakening is forecast to take place in the next two days.

“The worst flooding is yet to come for portions of the Carolinas, the southern/central Appalachians from western NC to west-central VA and far eastern WV,” the National Weather Service said on Twitter on Sept. 15.

Later “on the forecast track, Florence’s center will move across the western Carolinas today and then recurve over the Ohio Valley and Northeast U.S. Monday and Tuesday,” the weather service added, NPR reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.