Flagler County issues countywide curfew, evacuation order as Hurricane Ian makes landfall

County emergency shelters opened Wednesday at 1 p.m.

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – A countywide curfew and evacuation order was in effect for Flagler County residents through Friday afternoon, according to county officials.

The curfew went into effect Wednesday at 8 p.m., and will be in effect “every night until Hurricane Ian has left our area and it’s safe enough for the curfew to be lifted or modified,” according to a tweet from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.

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The curfew lasted until Friday afternoon.

According to a news release, violating the curfew is a second-degree misdemeanor, and could be punishable by a $500 fine and up to 60 days in jail.

The curfew does not apply to:

  • Law enforcement personnel
  • Local, state or federal firefighters
  • Emergency medical personnel
  • County employees permitted to work during the hurricane
  • Salvation Army and Red Cross volunteers
  • National Guard personnel
  • Electric utility personnel
  • Water and wastewater personnel
  • Communications utility personnel
  • All people experiencing a medical emergency

The evacuation order for some Flagler County residents went into effect Wednesday at 1 p.m.

[TIMELINE: When Central Florida will see the worst from Hurricane Ian]

The evacuation order is effective for the following:

  • Residents and visitors countywide staying in mobile homes or RVs
  • Zone A — the barrier island from Flagler Beach to Marineland
  • Low-lying areas in Zones B — the Bulowville neighborhoods east of John Anderson Highway and the Palm Drive and Lambert Avenue neighborhoods
  • Zone F — the area surrounding and near Crescent Lake and Dead Lake to include Daytona North

County emergency shelters will open at 1 p.m., and residents are urged to evacuate their homes before then.

“We urge those who are going to stay with relatives, friends or at hotels to complete their evacuation by noon,” Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord said.

Shelter locations are:

  • Bunnell Elementary School - 305 N. Palmetto St., Bunnell (General Population and pets)
  • Rymfire Elementary School - 1425 Rymfire Dr., Palm Coast (Special Needs)

County officials warned residents Tuesday that an evacuation could come as early as Wednesday.

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According to projected county-by-county impacts based on the Wednesday 8 a.m. advisory, Flagler County could see wind speeds between 30 to 50 mph, anywhere between 15 and 20 inches of rain along with flood, brief tornado and strong rip current risks.

You can find more information here.