Friday, September 10, 2004

Keys Total Evacuation Ordered

The National Hurricane Center is calling for a total evacuation of the
Florida Keys including Key West. Hurricane Ivan is now about 700 miles from
Key West, and only 165 miles from Kingston, Jamaica where winds are expected
to hit at 145 mph today. Hurricane force winds extends 50 miles from the
center. From the Hurricane Center this morning:


...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
AN EVACUATION OF VISITORS...NON-RESIDENTS...RECREATIONAL VEHICLES
AND MOBILE HOME RESIDENTS IS IN EFFECT. A PHASED MANDATORY
EVACUATION OF KEYS RESIDENTS WILL BEGIN THIS MORNING. AT 700
AM...THOSE FROM KEY WEST TO THE 7-MILE BRIDGE SHOULD EVACUATE. AT
NOON...RESIDENTS OF THE MIDDLE KEYS SHOULD EVACUATE. AT 400
PM...RESIDENTS OF THE UPPER KEYS SHOULD EVACUATE. RESIDENTS...MAKE
SURE YOU HAVE YOUR RE-ENTRY PERMIT. THE SHELTER FOR MONROE COUNTY IS
LOCATED AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY. TAKE U.S. 1 NORTH TO
THE TURNPIKE...THEN EXIT EAST ON SW 8TH STREET. FOLLOW THE SIGNS TO
THE SHELTER...WHICH WILL BE OPEN AT 500 PM TODAY. SHELTERS IN THE
KEYS WILL NOT BE OPEN. TOLLS AT CARD SOUND ROAD AND ON THE FLORIDA
TURNPIKE HAVE BEEN LIFTED. THE MONROE COUNTY INFORMATION HOT-LINE
HAS THE LATEST INFORMATION. THEY MAY BE REACHED AT 1 800...9 5 5...5
5 0 4. KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WILL CONTINUE FLIGHT
OPERATIONS THROUGH TONIGHT AT LEAST. CHECK WITH YOUR AIRLINE
FOR YOUR FLIGHT STATUS. GREYHOUND BUS PLANS TO CONTINUE SERVICE
THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. EXTRA DEPARTURES HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED. CALL 1
800...2 3 1...2 2 2 2 FOR DETAILS. THE PASSENGER FERRY TO FORT MYERS
HAS TWO DEPARTURES SCHEDULED TODAY. CALL 3 0 5...2 9 4...4 0 0 0
FOR DETAILS. THE AUTHORITIES ASK THAT YOU REMAIN CALM...AND LISTEN
FOR LATER INSTRUCTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. ONCE AGAIN...THE MONROE
COUNTY EMERGENCY HOT-LINE IS 1 800...9 5 5...5 5 0 4.


...MARINE IMPACTS...
IN ORDER TO ALLOW VEHICLE TRAFFIC TO PROCEED UNIMPEDED...THE BRIDGES
AT SNAKE CREEK AND JEWFISH CREEK WILL BE LOCKED IN THE DOWN
POSITION...AND THUS CLOSED TO MARINE VESSEL TRAFFIC.

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