- November 7, 2024
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Updated 6:45 p.m. Oct. 6
CURFEW ORDERED, EVACUATIONS ORDERED
County officials have ordered a 7 p.m. Thursday-to-7 a.m. Friday curfew for areas east of Interstate 95, and have urged everyone in mandatory evacuation zones A, B, C and F to heed warnings to evacuate.
Law enforcement officials will not hinder peopel from evacuating, according to a Flagler County government news release, but anyone caught loitering may be charged with a misdemeanor. The curfew will be daily until futrther notice.
“We’re asking people to leave now,” Flagler County Public Safety Emergency Manager Steve Garten said. “You need to get to where you need to be by 7 o'clock tonight.”
The curfew will be enforced by the Sheriff’s Office, and violating it could be a misdemeanor, Garten said.
People in the mandatory evacuation zones absolutely must evacuate, he said.
“The people in these locations absolutely should be evacuating,” Garten said. “The barrier islands need to be evacuated — period, period period. … This storm is not anything you’ve ever adhered to before. This will be absolutely monumental. Most people living have never even heard of it or seen it, unless they’ve been through Katrina, unless they’ve been through Andrew, and seen the total devastation that occurred in those areas.”
The storm is expected to be a Category 4 or higher by the time it reaches Flagler. Winds on the wall of the storm are reaching 140 mph, and could gust up to 175 mph.
“Certain areas and certain buildings will absolutely end up being leveled,” Garten said.
Garten recommended anyone east of Interstate 95 evacuate. Emergency first responders will not head out once the wind speeds are higher than 45 mph.
Officials have urged anyone evacuating to go west — not north, where officials expect traffic jams — or to seek shelter at one of the county’s hurricane shelters.
There will be shelters open in western Florida to aid people coming from the east.
FLAGLER COUNTY SHELTER INFORMATION
A general population shelter has been established at Buddy Taylor Middle School, at 4500 Belle Terre Parkway. About 140 people are sheltering there now. Officials are urging anyone who needs to use a county general population shelter to go to Buddy Taylor, which still has cots, rather than the shelter at Bunnell Elementary, which is out of cots.
The county general population and pet-friendly shelter at Bunnell Elementary currently has about 560 people. It is out of cots, but still accepting people. Anyone going there is asked to bring sheets and pillows, but nothing big — it should be able to fit inside a suitcase — because space is tight.
There is a shelter at Rymfire Elementary for people with special needs. There are about 140 people there.
For more details what to bring to the shelters, click HERE.
FLOODING, DEBRIS EXPECTED
Officials expect flooding in evacuation zones A, B, C and F.
“The flooding we’re talking about could be as high as 8-11 feet above ground level,” Garten said. “That does not count the wind effect. … We’re looking at waves that reach 15-22 feet.”
Another major concern is debris, which can cause road closures, he said. “There will be debris across this county the likes of which it has never seen,” he said. “We ask people to be patient. … We will get those roads open as soon as possible.”
Officials urged residents to wait for government crews to handle post-storm debris rather than trying to deal with it on their own.
The county has established a 24-hour information line about the storm for Flagler County residents and businesses: 386-586-5111.
See official updates at flagleremergency.com.
