Make evacuation plans now for Sally, MS Coast emergency managers say
Emergency management leaders on the Mississippi Coast are warning residents in low-lying areas or places prone to storm surge to start preparing to evacuate in the event Tropical Storm Sally makes landfall as a Category 2 hurricane.
“We are trying to make sure everybody in low-lying areas are getting all their stuff up and are prepared to get out,” Hancock County Emergency Operations Director Brian Adam said.
“They need to find a place to stay. We are going to have a shelter open, but they are not very comfortable so residents should try to find a comfortable place to stay ahead of time.”
In Hancock County, Adams said flooding is likely in such flood-prone areas Shoreline Park, Pearlington and Heron Bay as well any other area near a bayou, river or inlet.
The shelter on Highway 43 in Kiln will likely be opened Monday, Adam said, but a decision on that is still pending.
“This is going to be a very serious storm, and if it continues on the track, we are going to be on the east side of the storm, which is the worst,” he said. “Right now, we are still working out the details on the shelter.”
In Harrison County, Emergency Management Agency Director Rupert Lacy said any decision on opening a shelter is still pending, though the shelters will open at 50% capacity as the need arises.
“Right now, we are monitoring the storm, but it’s a little bit too early to make a decision on evacuations,” Lacy said.
Lacy and Adam said any decision on shelters opening will likely be made Monday.
As for any school closures, none had been announced as of early Sunday afternoon, and the directors expected that decision by Monday.
“Water is the leading reason people die in a tropical system and it’s not necessarily from the storm surge, but also from flash flooding and river line flooding.
“If people feel like they need to make alternate plans now, don’t wait for us to put out an order. We are continuing to monitor the track. We want everyone to stay safe.”
This story was originally published September 13, 2020 at 3:05 PM.
