Mandatory evacuations expand in Manatee County for Hurricane Ian. ‘This storm is coming’
Manatee County has issued a mandatory evacuation order for anyone living in Evacuation Zones A and B a voluntary and “highly recommended” evacuation order for Zone C.
Zone A include most areas along the county’s waterways, mobile homes and manufactured homes. Zones A and B total about 100,000 households.
The evacuation orders were extended Tuesday morning as Hurricane Ian approaches Manatee County and the Tampa Bay area.
“This is worst-case scenario,” Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes said. “Those along the coast and prone to flooding need to take this seriously and evacuate.”
Two more emergency shelters at Buffalo Creek Middle School and Haile Middle School — making a total of 17 shelters in Manatee County now open ahead of Hurricane Ian.
Beginning at 4 p.m., there will be no westbound access to Anna Maria Island from Cortez Road and Manatee Avenue.
Open shelters
All hurricane shelters open:
- Nolan Middle School (Special Needs)
- Braden River High School (Pet Friendly)
- Manatee High School (Pet Friendly)
- Mills Elementary School (Pet Friendly)
- Bayshore Elementary School
- Freedom Elementary School
- Gullett Elementary School
- Harvey Elementary School
- Lee Middle School
- Myakka City Elementary School
- Miller Elementary School
- McNeal Elementary School
- Rogers Garden Elementary School
- Williams Elementary School
- Willis Elementary School
- Buffalo Creek Middle School
- Carlos E. Haile Middle School
Manatee County starts evacuations
As initial evacuation order Monday only called for mandatory evacuations in Zone A and voluntary for Zone B.
“This storm is coming. It is coming and it is going to have an impact on Tampa Bay region like we have not seen in a hundred years,” Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes said at a news briefing Monday afternoon.
As of the 2 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Ian remained a Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds now reaching 85 mph. The storm is about 120 miles west-northwest of Grand Cayman and about 195 miles southeast of the western tip of Cuba, heading north-northwest at 13 mph.
The National Hurricane Center forecast has the storm making landfall in the Big Bend as a Category 1 or 2 storm. However, it’s wind field is now 115 miles from the center and is expected to be a Category 3 when it nears Manatee County.
“This is the worst case scenario,” Hopes said. “With each update from the National Hurricane Center, we are moving closer and closer to that worst-case scenario.”
Manatee County residents were urged to finish their preparations on Monday, and head evacuation orders.
“You want to be in that safe place with your loved ones including your pets by 8 p.m. tomorrow evening
Law enforcement will not be forcing people out of their homes, but will all be ordered to hunker down the minute sustained winds reach tropical storm force, 45 miles per hour.
“There is going to come a time when we can’t get to you,” Sheriff Rick Wells said.
Access to Anna Maria Island will shutdown at sundown on Tuesday, and water service to the island will be shut off immediately afterward.
Manatee County School Superintendent Cynthia Saunders announced the closing of schools and opening of 15 of them as shelters beginning at 8 a.m. Tuesday.
More evacuation orders are still possible, Hopes also confirmed..
To the north, Pinellas County has issued mandatory evacuations of Zones A to C. Those order are effective beginning 6 p.m. today for all residents in Zone A effective beginning 7 a.m. Tuesday for evacuation Zones B and C.
Tampa Bay is one of the most vulnerable regions to storm surge in the country and has not seen a direct hit of a hurricane in about 100 years.
“This could very well be that next 100-year storm,” Hopes said. “We are looking in the Tampa Bay area a storm surge of a 10 to 15 feet storm surge with some area of Tampa Bay exceeding 15 feet. That is 15 feet above ground level. That is a tremendous amount of water.”
“You do not want to decide to evacuate when you see water coming in under the door of your home.”
The storm is slowing down and the National Hurricane Center expects the storm to slow down to 5 to 7 miles per house as the center passes Manatee County. Based on current projections, Manatee County could see tropical storm or hurricane force conditions for at least 48 hours — from Tuesday night through Friday morning.
Storm surge of 7-10 feet, gusts up to 95 mph, 8-12 inches of rain and tornadoes are possible in Manatee.
Manatee County has activated it’s Citizen Information Center, which will be open and fully staffed 24 hours a days beginning 8 a.m. Tuesday.
Residents can call 311 with any questions about sandbag locations, storm preparedness and more.
“If we do see this worst-case scenario play out, I want people to know that Manatee County will be there after the storm to meet your needs with EMS and of course, our sheriff’s department,” Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said. “We will maintain law and order.”
This story was originally published September 26, 2022 at 11:58 AM.
