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Hurricane Milton: Florida rushes to prepare and evacuate
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Hurricane Milton: Florida rushes to prepare and evacuate

A gas station pump ran out of fuel in Tampa on Sunday.

Evacuations are being ordered in counties along Florida’s west coast as Hurricane Milton continues to strengthen, the Florida Division of Emergency Management said.

Charlotte county: Evacuations have been ordered for residents in the areas known as Red Zone-A and Orange Zone-B — mostly those on the waterfront along the Gulf, Charlotte Harbor and the Myakka and Peace rivers, and immediately inland, it shows a province map.

Citrus province: Starting at 8 a.m. Tuesday, residents of buildings that cannot withstand 110 mph winds will be under mandatory evacuation orders, the sheriff’s office said. That includes RVs, tents, mobile homes and manufactured homes.

Glades County: A voluntary evacuation order for residents of mobile homes, RVs and low-lying areas begins Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Hernando region: As of 8 a.m. Tuesday, mandatory evacuations have been issued for all areas west of US Highway 19, including Zones A, B and C – as well as residents living in coastal and low-lying areas and manufactured homes throughout the county. A shelter will open at 8 a.m. Tuesday at Challenger K-8 School.

Hillsborough County: According to the county, which includes the city of Tampa, a mandatory evacuation order began Monday at 2:30 p.m. for all residents in Zones A and B. The orders also apply to residents of mobile and manufactured housing.

Lee County: Residents in Zones A and B are under an evacuation order that went into effect Monday at noon, officials said. Residents of Sanibel, on a barrier island off Florida’s west coast, face a mandatory evacuation order starting Tuesday evening, city officials said. Residents should leave the island by 10 p.m. Tuesday as first responders will likely have to suspend service if high winds kick up, officials said Monday.

Manatee County: The evacuation order went into effect Monday at 2 p.m. for residents in zones known as Level A, Level B and Level C. The evacuation order also applies to people living in mobile homes or RVs.

Miami-Dade County: Officials have asked medically vulnerable people and residents of mobile home parks to evacuate, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said Monday. “We are setting up evacuation centers and also working with our hospitals for the medically vulnerable,” she said, adding that the order was given out of an abundance of caution. Officials are encouraging people to stay with family or friends in “an area outside the evacuation order,” according to the county’s website.

Okeechobee County: A voluntary evacuation order for residents of low-lying areas and mobile homes goes into effect Tuesday at 5 p.m

Pasco region: A mandatory evacuation order is in effect for residents in Zones A, B and C, as well as anyone in manufactured homes, mobile homes, RVs and residents in low-lying, flood-prone areas. Previously, the province said a voluntary evacuation order is in effect for people with a designated “special needs resident” and anyone who would be “vulnerable in the event of a power outage.”

Pinellas County: The province has issued an immediate mandatory evacuation order for residents in zones A, B and C and all mobile homes across the country. Access to the barrier islands will be limited to residents, business owners and employees between 7 p.m. Monday and 7 p.m. Tuesday so people can prepare homes and businesses. A mandatory evacuation order came into effect on Sunday for residential healthcare facilities in zones A, B and C.

Sarasota County: Residents on levels A and B are ordered to evacuate, while those on level C “must be prepared” to do so if Milton intensifies. Residents planning to leave the area should do so today, the province said. “If you wait, you’ll get stuck in traffic.”