Residents of mobile and manufactured homes, substandard housing and flood-prone areas are under mandatory evacuation, according to Alachua County information about Hurricane Idalia.
The Alachua County Ready website recommends residents stay with friends and family, in shelters or in hotels. It also notes emergency responders will not be dispatched during dangerous parts of the storm should residents choose not to evacuate.
“If you are in a manufactured house, mobile home, a substandard home, you really need to figure out how to get out of it,” said Mark Sexton, Alachua County spokesperson.
Major flooding historically occurred near bodies of water, including the Santa Fe River, Sweetwater Branch, Hogtown and Possum creek systems, Little Hatchet Creek, Lake Forest Creek, Clear Lake, Lake Alice and Newnans Lake. Wetland areas like Paynes Prairie, Hogtown Prairie, and portions of Kanapaha Prairie are also at flood risk.
Residents outside mandatory evacuation zones who may be worried about losing power or other effects of the hurricane can also seek shelter, Sexton said.
“You don't have to pass the test to go to the shelters,” he said. “Anyone is welcome at a shelter.”
RTS buses will run until midnight Tuesday, including lines that run near storm shelters.
There are 73 people in the three county shelters combined as of 9:30 p.m.; however, several people may have evacuated to hotels or other safe locations, Sexton said.
Although not encouraged, if residents under evacuation can’t make it out of their homes, they should bunk in the safest room in the house, preferably with no windows, he added. The 311 phone line offers updated information 24 hours a day and can be a resource for residents in doubt.
Hurricane Idalia is classified as a Category 2 hurricane, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 105 mph, as of 8 p.m. It is expected to make landfall on the Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Contact Alissa at agary@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter @AlissaGary1.
Alissa is a sophomore journalism major and University Editor at The Alligator. She has previously covered student government, university administration and K-12 education. In her free time, she enjoys showing photos of her cats to strangers.
