Coastal Residents Getting Ready For Hurricane Sandy

Residents in Ocean City, Md. and across the Delmarva Peninsula are closely watching Hurricane Sandy as it heads towards the Bahamas this evening and up the eastern seaboard in the days to come. Officials are already warning residents to be prepared and telling them not to panic.

Scientists and weather forecasters say computer-generated models show Hurricane Sandy is headed for the Delmarva Peninsula and the Mid-Atlantic region, and could hit Monday night with winds up to 90 miles per hour and massive storm surges likely to cause power outages, coastal flooding, and beach erosion.

Sandy has the potential to be a "billion dollar storm" according to some meteorologists, but many locals on the coast are expecting nothing more than a strong Nor'easter.

Even so, Ocean City Emergency Services Director Joe Theobald says people need to start getting ready.

"It's setting up to be a scenario of a perfect storm, and we'll deal with it as it comes along, but the first step as of today is preparation," says Theobald. "Take some personal responsibility to be prepared for whatever may take place."

With Sandy beginning to look as serious as Hurricane Irene just 14 months ago, coastal residents are once again waiting and watching for the storm's next move.