Miami

'Time Is Running Out': Gov. Scott Issues Urges Floridians to Evacuate Coastal Communities

Residents and visitors in an evacuation zone can visit FloridaEvacuates.com to see a list of shelters available in their areas

Several counties in eastern Florida have issued voluntary or mandatory evacuation orders as Hurricane Matthew approached the state. About 1.5 million Floridians have been ordered or urged to move away from the coast.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott, speaking at a news conference Thursday morning, once again, sounded the alarm for residents to evacuate, warning hesitant locals that "this is game day."

"This is going to kill people," Scott said of the Category 3 storm that has already been responsible for at least 29 deaths. "You and your family could be among these numbers if you don’t take this seriously."

Scott activated thousands of National Guardsmen to assist in preparations. Thousands of people boarded up their homes, grabbed their belongings and fled inland to escape the most powerful storm to threaten the Atlantic coast in more than a decade.

As of 6 a.m. Thursday morning, more than 3,000 people were in more than 60 open shelters throughout Florida. The governor said the number of available shelters is expected to double Thursday. Scroll down for a full list of shelters.

"Time is running out. Evacuate, evacuate, evacuate," Scott said Thursday.

CURRENT EVACUATIONS:

  • Brevard County: Mandatory Evacuations of Merritt Island, barrier island, low-lying areas and mobile homes.
  • Broward County: Voluntary evacuations have begun for mobile homes and low lying areas.
  • Clay County: Voluntary evacuations have begun.
  • DeSoto County: Voluntary evacuations have begun for manufactured homes, RVs and low lying areas.
  • Duval County: Voluntary evacuations have begun.
  • Flagler County: Mandatory evacuations have begun.
  • Indian River: Mandatory evacuations have begun for barrier islands, mobile homes, and low lying areas.
  • Martin County: Voluntary evacuations have begun for barrier islands, low-lying areas, and mobile homes.
  • Miami-Dade County: Voluntary evacuations have begun for mobile homes, low-lying, and unstable structures.
  • Nassau County: Voluntary evacuations have begun.
  • Palm Beach County: Voluntary evacuations have begun for barrier islands, mobile homes, substandard housing, flood prone areas, and those living in high rises close to the Intracoastal Waterway. Mandatory evacuations begin today.
  • Johns County:
    Several counties in eastern Florida have issued voluntary or mandatory evacuation orders as Hurricane Matthew approached the state. About 1.5 million Floridians have been ordered or urged to move away from the coast. 
    Florida Gov. Rick Scott, speaking at a news conference Thursday morning, once again, sounded the alarm for residents to evacuate, warning hesitant locals that "today is game day."
    "This is going to kill people," Scott said of the powerful storm that has been responsible for at least 25 deaths, mostly in Haiti. "You and your family could be among these numbers if you don’t take this seriously."
    Scott activated thousands of National Guardsmen to assist in preparations.
    "Time is running out. Evacuate, evacuate, evacuate," Scott said Thursday.
    CURRENT EVACUATIONS
    Brevard County: Mandatory Evacuations of Merritt Island, barrier island, low-lying areas and mobile homes.
    Broward County: Voluntary evacuations have begun for mobile homes and low lying areas.
    Clay County: Voluntary evacuations have begun.
    DeSoto County: Voluntary evacuations have begun for manufactured homes, RVs and low lying areas.
    Duval County: Voluntary evacuations have begun.
    Flagler County: Mandatory evacuations have begun.
    Indian River: Mandatory evacuations have begun for barrier islands, mobile homes, and low lying areas.
    Martin County: Voluntary evacuations have begun for barrier islands, low-lying areas, and mobile homes.
    Miami-Dade County: Voluntary evacuations have begun for mobile homes, low-lying, and unstable structures.
    Nassau County: Voluntary evacuations have begun.
    Palm Beach County: Voluntary evacuations have begun for barrier islands, mobile homes, substandard housing, flood prone areas, and those living in high rises close to the Intracoastal Waterway. Mandatory evacuations begin today.
    Johns County: Mandatory evacuation orders have begun.
    Lucie County: Voluntary evacuations have begun for barrier islands, mobile homes, and low lying areas.  Mandatory evacuations begin today.
    Volusia County: Mandatory evacuations have begun for barrier islands, low-lying areas, and mobile homes.
    Mandatory evacuation orders have begun.Lucie County: Voluntary evacuations have begun for barrier islands, mobile homes, and low lying areas.  Mandatory evacuations begin today.Volusia County: Mandatory evacuations have begun for barrier islands, low-lying areas, and mobile homes. Mandatory evacuation orders have begun.
  • Lucie County: Voluntary evacuations have begun for barrier islands, mobile homes, and low lying areas. Mandatory evacuations begin today.
  • Volusia County: Mandatory evacuations have begun for barrier islands, low-lying areas, and mobile homes.
[[208712001, C]]

SHELTERS

Bradford County

 

  • Starke Elementary: Starke, FL

 

Brevard County

 

  • Bayside High School: Palm Bay, FL
  • Sunrise Elementary (Special Needs): Palm Bay, FL
  • Imperial Estates Elementary School: Titusville, FL
  • Kindred Hospital (Special Needs): Melbourne, FL
  • Manatee Elementary School: Melbourne, FL
  • Parrish Med Hospital (Special Needs): Melbourne, FL
  • Quest Elementary (Special Needs), Melbourne, FL
  • Viera Regional Park Community Center: Melbourne, FL
  • Ralph Williams Elementary (Special Needs): Melbourne, FL
  • Sherwood Elementary: Melbourne, FL
  • Port St John Community Center: Cocoa, FL
  • Meadowlane Intermediate Elementary School: Melbourne, FL
  • Mims Elementary: Mims, FL
  • Oak Park Elementary (Special Need): Titusville, FL
  • Walter Butler Community Center: Bernice G. Jackson Park, FL

 

Broward County

 

  • Arthur Ashe Middle School: Fort Lauderdale, FL
  • Indian Ridge Middle School (Special Needs): Ft. Lauderdale, FL
  • Rock Island Elementary: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
  • Sunset School (Special Needs): Ft. Lauderdale, FL
  • Coral Glades High School: Coral Springs, FL
  • Everglades High School: Miramar, FL
  • New Renaissance Middle School: Miramar, FL
  • Falcon Cove Middle School: Weston, FL
  • Fox Trail Elementary School: Davie, FL
  • Lyons Creek Middle School: Coconut Creek, FL
  • Millennium Middle School (Pet Friendly): Tamarac, FL

 

Clay County

 

  • Lake Asbury Junior High School (Special Needs): Green Cove Springs, FL
  • Orange Park High School: Orange Park, FL

 

Duval County

 

  • Keystone Heights High School: Jacksonville, FL
  • Landmark Middle School (Special Needs): Jacksonville, FL
  • Mandarin Middle School Middle/High School: Jacksonville, FL

 

Hendry County

 

  • West Glades School Bldg 300 (Special Needs): Labelle, FL

 

Indian River

 

  • South Mainland Community Center: Sebastian, FL

 

Martin County

 

  • Anderson Middle School (Special Needs): Stuart, FL
  • Jensen Beach High School: Jensen Beach, FL
  • Hidden Oaks Middle School: Palm City, FL
  • Port Salerno Elementary School: Palm City, FL
  • Warfield Elementary School: Indiantown, FL

 

Miami-Dade County

 

  • Booker T. Washington Senior Center: City of Miami, FL
  • Darwin Fuchs Pavilion (Pet Friendly): Miami, FL
  • John Ferguson High School (Special Needs): Miami, FL
  • Michael M. Krop Senior Center: North Miami-Dade, FL
  • Robert Morgan Senior Center: Miami, FL

 

Nassau County

 

  • Bryceville Elementary School: Callahan, FL
  • Callahan Intermediate Bldg.: Callahan, FL
  • Hillard Elementary School: Hilliard, FL
  • Hillard Middle/High School: Hilliard, FL

 

Palm Beach County

 

  • Atlantic High School: Delray Beach, FL
  • Park Vista Community High School: Boynton Beach, FL
  • Boynton Beach High School: Boynton Beach, FL
  • Boynton Beach Community High School: Boynton Beach, FL
  • Forest Hill High School: West Palm Beach, FL
  • Havert L. Fenn Center (Special Needs): West Palm Beach, FL
  • South Florida Fairgrounds (Special Needs): West Palm Beach, FL
  • Lake Shore Middle School: Belle Glade, FL
  • Palm Beach Central High School: West Palm Beach, FL
  • Palm Beach Gardens High School: Palm Beach Gardens, FL
  • Pahokee Middle High School: Pahokee, FL
  • West Boynton Recreation Center (Pet Friendly): Lake Worth, FL

 

St. Lucie County

 

  • Pierce Central: Ft. Pierce, FL
  • Samuel Gaines Elementary: Ft. Pierce, FL
  • Treasure Coast High School: St. Lucie, FL
  • Lakewood Park Elementary School: St. Lucie, FL

 

Living in South Florida poses the threat of tropical storms and hurricanes. It's important to know if your home is located in an evacuation zone.

Miami-Dade and Broward counties have flood zone maps identifying the areas that are at risk of a storm surge in the event of severe weather.

In Miami-Dade, there are 5 surge zones labeled A to E. The county describes Zone A as the greatest risk for a storm surge for category 1 and higher storms.

Zone E is at greatest risk for a storm surge from category 5 storms.

Almost the entire county south of Tamiami Trail falls in one of its 5 surge zones.

The areas include Coral Gables, Country Walk and even the Redland west of Krome Avenue.

evacuation-zone-map-2013
MiamiDade.gov

Miami-Dade County updated its storm surge map for the first in 10 years in 2013.

Broward County's evacuation zones include two areas: Plan A from the coastline to A1A and Plan B from A1A to North Federal Highway.

broward-evac-map
broward.org

The risk in Broward is not from the ocean moving inland, but from water pushing up rivers and canals eventually swamping streets across the county.

While emergency officials stress no single hurricane would force every zone to evacuate, it's important to know where you live and know what to do in case your zone is called.

Contact Us