Throughout the eastern United States, Fran produced strong winds and heavy rainfall, leading to widespread flash flooding and wind damage. The most severe damage took place in North Carolina where 14 people died, one of which was from a heart attack, and the storm left over $2.4 billion in losses. Throughout other states, 13 other people lost their lives and an additional $800 million in damage was caused. Overall, Hurricane Fran was directly responsible for 22 fatalities and indirectly for five others as well as $5 billion in damage. At the time, Fran was one of the ten costliest hurricanes to strike the United States; however, several other storms have since surpassed it.
Florida and South Carolina Prior to moving over
the Carolinas, large swells produced by Hurricane Fran impacted the Florida coastline. Along the beaches of
Palm Beach County, five people aboard an fishing boat were knocked into the water by the rough seas. However, the
Coast Guard rescued all five persons without incident. As Fran made landfall in North Carolina, the outer bands of the storm brought heavy rains and gusty winds to eastern South Carolina. Several areas reported winds in excess of , leading to numerous downed trees and power lines. Some cars and homes were damaged after being struck by fallen trees. In
Dillon County, winds gusting up to caused significant damage to many homes. Debris was left in the wake of Fran across the county than during
Hurricane Hugo in
1989. One person was injured and damage to crops and infrastructure reached $6.5 million. In
Marlboro County, roughly 3,200 people were left without power and two sheriffs were injured after their car struck a fallen tree. The most severe damage in South Carolina took place in
Horry County where winds reached . Numerous trees were felled by the winds, leaving roughly 60,000 residents without power. One person was killed after her car fell down an embankment. Extensive agricultural losses were sustained in the area, estimated at $19.8 million. Structural damage was less severe, with losses estimated at $1 million. A second car-related fatality during Fran took place in
Williamsburg County. Combined economic losses in
Berkeley and
Charleston counties reached $20 million. Throughout South Carolina, Fran was responsible for two fatalities, five injuries and roughly $48.5 million in damage.
North Carolina was destroyed by Fran along the state coastline. Fran caused coastal damage from the
South Carolina border to
Topsail Island, North Carolina. Its 12-foot storm surge carried away a temporary
North Topsail Beach police station and town hall, housed in a double-wide trailer since
Hurricane Bertha's rampage across the same area in July. The Kure Beach Pier was destroyed during the storm as well. Extensive flooding struck the coast around
Wrightsville Beach, just up the coast from Cape Fear. In
Jacksonville, North Carolina, three schools and several homes were damaged. The storm was most damaging to the barrier islands on the
North Carolina coastline. Further inland, the storm caused damage on its way north from
Wilmington to
Raleigh. Unexpectedly, high wind damage extended along the I-40 corridor up through Raleigh and points north and as far west as
Guilford County, damaging historic buildings and trees throughout the Triangle including at
North Carolina State University and the
University of North Carolina Classes were canceled for the day at UNC due to a state of emergency in Chapel Hill, and it was almost a week before the university's water supply was drinkable again. Rain of up to 16 inches (406 mm) deluged interior North Carolina, Virginia and
West Virginia, bringing dangerous river flooding to much of the mid-Atlantic. Hurricane Fran's thrashing of North Carolina aggravated the state's problems caused by numerous weather disasters in 1996. At least six people were killed in the
Carolinas; most of them were from automobile accidents and more died as a result of the shock from the damage of the storm. In
North Carolina, 1.3 million people were left without power. In
North Topsail Beach and
Carteret County, there was over $500 million (1996 USD) in damage and 90% of structures were damaged. This was the second hurricane to make landfall on North Carolina that year. The first was Hurricane Bertha, which hit the state a few weeks prior.
Virginia In Virginia, tropical storm-force winds lashed
Chesapeake Bay and increased water levels in the
Potomac River around the nation's capital, where it backed up into
Georgetown and Old Town
Alexandria, Virginia. There was severe damage to power lines that left 415,000 people without electricity, making it the largest storm related power outage in history until
Hurricane Isabel in 2003. Fran destroyed about 300 homes, mostly from flooding, and 100 people had to be rescued.
Page County, downslope of the 16" of rainfall from
Big Meadows, was the hardest hit locality in the state of Virginia with regards to damage. Three days after the storm had passed, "hundreds" of people were still stranded. Some 78 homes were destroyed and 417 were damaged, however there were no deaths. At one point on Friday every town in the county was isolated due to high water. In the county seat of
Luray, the Hawksbill Creek cut the town in half for much of the day, and the strong current forced a house off its foundation and placed in the endzone of
Luray High School's football field. Water from the Hawksbill reached from the top of the
field goal upright— of water covered the ground. Bulldog field was flooded for over a week after the storm, until finally the standing water was pumped across
U.S. Route 340 back into the Hawksbill Creek. Also in downtown Luray, the large flood-driven waves of the creek demolished three buildings, including the
Adelphia Cable building. The creek, typically less than a foot deep, overtook the downtown Main Street Bridge, which rises some above the creek bed. The
Shenandoah River crested some above flood stage. The South Fork of the Shenandoah River recorded its highest crests ever, in Luray and in
Front Royal, Virginia, which was above the 15 ft (4.6 m) flood stage. In
Rockingham County, Virginia, over 10,000 people were evacuated from their homes, however most were allowed to return to their homes after the water subsided.
West Virginia Up to 7 inches (178 mm) of rain fell, These winds downed several trees in saturated soil. A strong southerly wind and high tide led to a storm surge in Washington Harbor. In addition to the storm surge, a river flood rivaling that of the January 1996 flood took place in the metropolitan area. Throughout Washington, D.C., Fran left roughly $20 million in damage.
Pennsylvania About 15
Western Pennsylvania counties were impacted by flash flooding as rainfall up to 7 inches (178 mm) caused the
Juniata River to overrun its banks. Sustained winds in the state were recorded around and gusts reached . These winds downed numerous trees and power lines, some of which fell on cars and homes. Agricultural land and the region sustained significant damage. In
Cleveland, the city zoo sustained some flood damage and the monkey island was completely inundated. In
Cuyahoga County at least 90 homes reported basement flooding. Widespread street and basement flooding took place across
Lorain County, with some areas reporting standing water several days after Fran's passage. Throughout Ohio, the remnants of Fran left roughly $40 million in damage and no loss of life. Continuing northward, Fran moved into southern Canada on September 7; however, the outer bands of the storm brought some rainfall to extreme eastern Michigan. In
Port Huron, a state maximum amount of of rain fell during the storm's passage. ==Aftermath==