Some Anna Maria Island residents won’t evacuate for Hurricane Ian. ‘You need to go now.’
After expanding the mandatory evacuation zones earlier Tuesday, Manatee County’s public safety officials are strongly urging residents to heed their advice and leave the area before Hurricane Ian strikes.
The storm, which is forecast to make landfall near Venice by Wednesday night, will have a significant and prolonged impact on the Bradenton area, officials said during a 2 p.m. Tuesday update. It could be one of the worst storms Manatee County has ever seen, County Administrator Scott Hopes predicted.
“If you look at the size of that storm, it has grown into a very large hurricane. It is expected to be a Category 3 storm when it reaches our shore. I cannot under-emphasize this enough,” Hopes explained. “This is not something we have seen in the Tampa Bay area in 100 years. This is a serious storm. It is not to be taken lightly.”
That warning applies especially to residents on Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key, Manatee’s barrier islands. Hopes doubled down on calls to have those residents and visitors leave, noting he has reason to believe that residents there are refusing to evacuate.
“If you have a problem on the island, we can’t get there to help you,” Hopes said. “I will not put our employees at risk because you failed to listen to a mandatory evacuation.”
By Tuesday evening, county officials will turn off the lines supplying water to Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key. The move is meant to protect the county’s infrastructure from major damage, said Hopes.
“If there is a break, it will contaminate the whole system,” Hopes explained. “If we left that water on, we might have to shut down the system for the entire county.”
FL officials strongly recommend evacuation
Despite the landfall predictions that are further south than originally expected, Ian will still pose a massive threat to the Manatee County area. Steve Litschauer, the county’s deputy director of public safety, also pleaded with residents to follow the mandatory guidance from emergency officials.
“If you are in levels A and B, you need to go now. Please do not refuse to leave,” Litschauer said. “Please take our instructions and directions seriously. This is a serious storm.”
The latest models also show a life-threatening storm surge, which could be as high as 15 feet.
“We’re talking about a wall of water that is going to slam up against your property. We’re not talking about a gradual thing and seas rising,” Hopes stressed. “We’re talking about momentum and mass hitting a structure. You don’t want to be in it.”
Starting around 9 p.m., public safety officials will begin locking the doors at the shelters throughout the county to protect the residents and emergency responders inside, Hopes said. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 1,250 residents have entered the emergency shelters.
Congressman Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, said he has been in contact with FEMA officials who stand ready to provide disaster response. In the meantime, residents should follow public safety guidance, he warned.
“We’ve got to take this seriously. I’ve watched a lot of these storms over the years. Many times we get blessed or lucky ... but I don’t think this is the case this time, based on all the experts I’ve talked with,” Buchanan said.
