- November 20, 2024
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Hurricane Milton’s threat to Volusia County is shaping up to be very similar to that of Hurricane Ian two years ago, Volusia County Manager George Recktenwald said at a press conference Tuesday, Oct. 8, at the Volusia County Emergency Operations Center.
“The combination of 15 inches of rain hitting our drainage system, up to 5 feet of storm surge and high tide Thursday afternoon is going to greatly reduce the effectiveness of our drainage infrastructure,” Recktenwald said.
Volusia County is under a Hurricane Warning, a Storm Surge Warning and a Flood Watch from Wednesday night through Thursday morning.
Volusia County Emergency Management Director Clint Mecham said the hurricane will produce up to 15 inches of rain and possible Category 1 winds in Volusia.
An evacuation order for Zone A, east of the Intracoastal Waterway, has been expanded to include the west side of the intracoastal in low-lying areas that are susceptible to flooding. Countywide evacuations have also been ordered for residents living in manufactured homes, mobile homes and low-lying areas, Mecham said. The evacuation orders will be in effect beginning 8 a.m. Wednesday.
Evacuation orders are targeting areas that have been damaged previously, Meacham said.
“We want everyone to be here after the storm and be mad at us for the mandatory evacuation order,” he said.
Residents can find out if they are in an evacuation zone by visiting volusia.org/hurricanes/ and clicking on Know Your Zone or by calling the Citizens information Center at 866-345-0345. The information center will be open until 7 p.m. Tuesday and begin 24-hour operations at 7 a.m. Wednesday.
Shelters will open at 9 a.m. A pet-friendly shelter will open at Mainland High School.
Volusia County Schools announced that schools will be closed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Beach driving in Volusia County will be suspended on Wednesday and Thursday. All beach restrooms, coastal parks and inlet parks will also be closed.
Sheriff Michael Chitwood said a countywide curfew will be imposed from 8 p.m. Wednesday until 8 a.m. Thursday, noting it might have to be extended to allow emergency crews to clear roads.
Chitwood echoed Recktenwald’s comparison of Milton’s potential to Hurricane Ian in 2022 when the Sheriff’s Office received 1,000 calls from people trapped in their homes due to rising flood waters.
The sheriff added that when winds reach 40 mph, vehicles will be restricted from heading east on the bridges to the peninsula.
Mecham said the storm surge is expected after Milton exits the state into the Atlantic Ocean.
Mecham said although the county won't be getting the brunt of the hurricane, it will still be a serious storm with wind gusts that could reach Category 2 strength.
"This must be taken seriously," he said.
Votran will operate regular bus routes as long as storm conditions permit on Wednesday, the county announced in a press release. Based on current weather projections, final buses will depart their starting points at 4 p.m., with all operations ending at 5 p.m. All Votran vehicles will end service when winds reach sustained speeds of 35 mph.
