Due to weather conditions related to Hurricane Irene, the Director of Emergency Services has declared a State of Emergency for Essex County. Wind speeds 50-60 miles per hour, gusts to over 70 mph, are expected to begin in the area on Saturday morning, lasting through the night. Rain accumulations from 2-5" are anticipated; storm surges of 2' – 5' can be expected. The County has opened its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to coordinate the efforts to prepare for the impact of the impending hurricane.
County staff strongly encourages voluntary evacuation of the Lowery's Point, Lowery's Road, Coleman Island, Coleman Island Road, Shellfish Beach, Shellfish Beach Road, River Place and Grand View Beach at the low end and other low-lying areas prone to flooding due to potential accumulations of rainfall and storm surge. Voluntary evacuation of manufactured houses and houses with potential for damage from trees and potential access/egress issues is also strongly recommended. According to the National Weather Service in Wakefield, conditions similar to Hurricane Isabel are anticipated.
An emergency shelter will be opening on Saturday, August 27 at 10 am. The shelter will be located at Essex Intermediate School on Marsh Street in Tappahannock. Non-ambulatory persons with special medical needs who require shelter should contact the Essex County Emergency Operations Center at 443-4395 or 443-4519 for further information. Also use these numbers for further hurricane information. Residents are encouraged to reserve use of 911 and Sheriff's Department numbers for serious emergencies.
No comments:
Post a Comment