The FCC has now deactivated its post-Matthew disaster data collection portal for Florida, Georgia and Virginia, and in most of South Carolina. But the Disaster Information Reporting System remains active for 17 North Carolina counties, as well as Horry County in South Carolina.
Eighteen radio stations were out of service at last report, following storms from Hurricane Matthew, according to the commission’s daily Communications Status Report.
South Carolina had the most stations affected as of Wednesday afternoon, with eight reporting out of service. WMBJ, WZTF, WDSC, WLGI, WLTQ, WLHH, WVSC and WMHE were off in South Carolina; WAOA and WJFR in Florida; WLFS and WSOK in Georgia; and WZKT, WGBR, WFMC, WSSG, WFVL and WLPS in North Carolina. TV station WLPS in Lumberton, N.C., also was off. Stations may have gone back on subsequently, or failed to update their DIRS information. But participation in the web-based portal is voluntary, so other stations affected may not have been listed at all.
Since Matthew made landfall last Thursday, the highest number of radio stations out of service according to the FCC was 27 on Oct. 9. The list has fluctuated, with call signs changing.
The FCC’s report is made up of data submitted to its Disaster Information Reporting System. (See the Communications Status Report, which includes cell sites downed by the storm.)
Is your station affected by the storm? Update us at Radio World; email [email protected].
