Curfew Update, 1:30 p.m.

Orange County Government currently has teams in the field to assess the overnight impact of Hurricane Matthew.

As of, 1 p.m., 65,355 residents are without power. Duke Energy and OUC are working to restore service as soon and safely as possible. Citizens using generators should use extreme caution. Never operate generators inside a building or garage. Visit Duke Energy or OUC for more information.

More than 1,400 citizens took refuge in Orange County shelters, including 80 individuals with special needs.

The mandatory curfew for Orange County will be lifted at 2 p.m.; however, citizens should remain vigilant. Significant hazards, including downed power lines, trees or other debris may not have been cleared. While Public Works reports that the majority of traffic signals in Orange County are operational, however, extreme caution should be exercised. Residents are asked to report concerns to 3-1-1.

Please note that the curfew does exempt travel to and from places of employment. Other exemptions include:

All pedestrian and vehicular movement, standing and parking, except for individuals commuting to and from places of employment, the provision of fire, police, emergency and hospital services, medical patients, utility emergency repairs and emergency calls by physicians within the above curfew areas, are prohibited during curfew hours.

“I’m very glad to see the number of citizens who took this seriously and evacuated,” said Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs. “I’m also proud of the community for honoring the curfew. There are still a lot of reasons to stay off the road. It’s imperative that first responders and emergency personnel can dedicate full attention to emergency response and restoration for our neighbors.”