Tyrrell County was spared Thursday night and into Friday morning as the eye of Hurricane Florence came ashore at Wilmington and the destructive system lashed southern counties with record rainfall and wind gusts.

The storm’s northernmost bands of wind and rain had little effect on Columbia. Streets were free of flooding and significant debris as Florence moved away.

The infamous North Boundary Canal was only about six inches over its banks Friday morning.

Tyrrell County remained under a mandatory evacuation order Fridaywith a curfew in effect from 7 p.m. Friday until 7 a.m. Saturday.

However, Food Lion, Dollar General and Family Dollar stores reopened Friday morning as usual.

The county commissioners declared a state of emergency Monday morning and ordered a countywide evacuation to be completed by 8 p.m. Wednesday. Curfew was ordered for Thursday and Friday nights.

The emergency order also stated that emergency services would be suspended when wind speeds reached 55 miles per hour, which never happened.

Rural mail delivery from Columbia Post Office was suspended Wednesday and until the evacuation order is rescinded.

An “all-call” voice message to mobile telephone subscribers went out at 2:25 p.m. Wednesday, repeating the evacuation order and giving the address of a shelter at a church in Rocky Mount and a phone number for any needing transportation assistance to the shelter.

The Friday night curfew remained in effect at noon Friday, Wesley Hopkins, Tyrrell emergency management coordinator, said. He added that a few trees were down, but no major damage had been reported anywhere in the county.