NEWS

Hurricane Sandy prompts mandatory evacuation of Delaware coastal communities       ...    

 Limited State of Emergency declared for Delaware     

Hurricane Sandy prompts mandatory evacuation of Delaware coastal communities

With the strong possibility Hurricane Sandy will significantly affect Delaware, Gov. Jack Markell announced this evening that a mandatory evacuation of communities in the state's flood-prone communities beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday and ending at 8 p.m. Sunday.

Statewide -- With Delaware potentially facing a direct hit from Hurricane Sandy, Gov. Jack Markell announced this evening that a mandatory evacuation of the state's flood-prone communities will take place beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday and ending at 8 p.m. Sunday.

http://www.delawareonline.com/viewart/20121027/NEWS/121027009/Markell-orders-mandatory-evacuations-long-list-communities

http://www.sussexcountyde.gov/docs/pressreleases/2012/10/EOC.tropical.statement.10-27-12.pdf

LIMITED STATE OF EMERGENCY IN EFFECT AT 8 P.M. SATURDAY

In order to facilitate the evacuation of the coastal communities in New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties, Markell has ordered a limited State of Emergency that will also begin at 8 p.m. Saturday.

"The evacuations should take place between a 24-hour period," Markell said in a conference call with members of the media Saturday evening. "The state of emergency that will begin tonight, and does not include any driving restrictions or bans; it also does not require business closures. Those measures, should they become necessary, will be announced as the storm progresses and should conditions worsen. This order is strictly to facility the evacuation."

Shelters will be open in all three counties beginning at noon, Sunday, Markell said. The governor advised residents who will be seeking shelter to bring with them sleeping bags, pillows, blankets, as well as any books and games to keep themselves occupied.

Storm shelters will be open throughout the state.   Sussex County locations include:

Cape Henlopen High School

Indian River High School

Jamie Turner, director of the Delaware Emergency Management Agency, said approximately 50,000 people across the state could be affected by this evacuation.

"Based on calls I've been on within the last 15 to 20 minutes," Turner said, "we're looking at winds up to 60 miles per hour, just below hurricane gusts, extremely heavy rains running from 10 inches in Sussex County to 3 or 4 inches in New Castle County. This is all subject to the swings in the storm itself."

Turner said Delaware residents should expect major power outages that could last for several hours or days, as well as major flooding in areas near the coast.

"It really depends on how long this storm stays close to Delaware," he said. "This is a very slow moving storm. It's going to be something that a lot of people have never had the opportunity to see in Delaware."

Markell urged residents who live within 3/4 miles of a coastal area to follow the evacuation order.

"8 p.m. Sunday should be the end of the evacuation, not the beginning," he said. "Because of the flooding that is expected, it's going to be very challenging for first responders to get to people. "We'll be a lot more successful if people take responsibility and listen to these evacuation orders."

Specific areas of evacuation include:

Sussex County Delaware Bay Communities:

Slaughter Beach

Prime Hook Beach

Broadkill Beach

Lewes Beach, east of the Rehoboth Lewes canal

Sussex County Ocean Coastal Communities:

Those in Sussex ocean communities south of the Indian River Inlet should travel west along major arteries (Route 26 and 54) to U.S. 113 to leave the area rather than north on Route 1

Flood-prone areas within 3/4 of a mile of the coast in the following communities:

Henlopen Acres

Rehoboth Beach

Dewey Beach

North Bethany

Bethany Beach

South Bethany

Fenwick Island

Sussex County Inland Bay Communities:

Areas surrounding the Rehoboth Bay, Indian River and Little Assawoman Bay

Flood-prone areas south of Route 24 (John J. Williams Highway) including Angola, Long Neck and Oak Orchard

Flood-prone areas along Route 26 (Vines Creek Road and Atlantic Avenue)

Flood-prone areas along Route 54 (Lighthouse Road)

Delaware's Secretary of Transportation Shailen Bhatt said as of right now tolls in Delaware will not be disabled, but that could change if traffic levels call for it Sunday.

The state has implemented the Hurricane Sandy information helpline. For questions, call (800) 464-4357.

DEMA and relevant partners statewide are in communication with the National Weather Service and will continue to regularly monitor conditions. According to the governor's office, no decision has been made yet about government closures for Monday or Tuesday.

For information on making a household emergency plan and building a supply kit, visit www.prepareDE.org, Ready.gov  or Listo.gov. For regional weather updates, visit http://weather.gov/phi.