TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Evacuations have been issued for some Tampa Bay area counties as Tropical Storm Debby is expected to bring storm surge, heavy rain, and high winds.
As of 11 p.m., only a portion of Citrus County is under a mandatory evacuation. Pasco, Hernando, and Manatee Counties are currently under voluntary evacuation.
Mandatory evacuations:
City of Crystal River
Citrus County issued a mandatory evacuation for zone A, which is the entirety of the City of Crystal River, and everything west of US 19 and some low areas east of US 19 in Citrus.
“If you are in Zone A and live in a home or have a business that is prone to storm surge flooding, my advice is to heed the warnings and follow the directions,” Crystal River Mayor Joe Meek said in a Facebook post.
Voluntary evacuations have been issued for the following counties:
Pasco County
The Pasco County Government issued voluntary evacuation for certain areas on Saturday. Residents in Pasco County should evacuate if one or more of the following applies to you:
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You live in Evacuation Zone A
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You live in a manufactured home, mobile home or RV anywhere in Pasco
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You live in a low-lying area or an area prone to flooding
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You live in a structure that historically has experienced flooding during
heavy rainfall -
You’re registered with Pasco as a Special Needs Resident
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You would be vulnerable in the event of a power loss
The county said residents should consider riding out the storm with family and friends. If that’s no an option, residents can evacuate directly to a Pasco County Shelter.
LIST: Shelters open around Tampa Bay ahead of potential tropical storm
The county will open the shelter located at Fasano Regional Hurricane Center, 11611 Denton Avenue in Hudson for the general population and special needs at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Hernando County
Voluntary evacuations were issued for Hernando County residents living in Zone A starting at 7 p.m. All residents living in coastal and low-lying areas, as well as manufactured homes county-wide, are included.
A shelter will open at 7 p.m. at the West Hernando Middle School located at 14325 Ken Austin Pikeway in Brooksville for special needs residents, the general population, and those with pets.
Manatee County
The Manatee County Emergency Management is encouraging evacuation for residents who live in Coast Level A.
“Tropical Depression Four could impact our coastal communities,” Director of Public Safety, Jodie Fiske, said. “We are opening an additional shelter for those residents and visitors in Coastal Level A.”
Miller Elementary School at 601 43rd Street W in Bradenton will open at 5 p.m. for those who wish to evacuate. Nolan Middle School (6615 Greenbrook Boulevard in Bradenton) opened at noon Saturday.
Residents can determine their evacuation level by visiting mymanatee.org/storm.
Tropical Storm Debby has officially formed over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center announced on Saturday.
Forecasters now expect Debby to reach Category 1 hurricane strength as it reaches the Big Bend region of Florida.
As of the 11 p.m. update, Tropical Storm Debby is about 50 miles west-southwest of Tampa. The storm is moving northwest at 14 mph and has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, the NHC said.
Watch Tracking the Tropics on Tuesdays at 12:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. CT.
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