FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – Residents in Flagler County prepared for tropical storm-force winds from Idalia, which could come as early as Wednesday morning.
At an RV park in Beverly Beach, many people heeded a mandatory evacuation for RVs, mobile homes and unsafe structures that took place Tuesday afternoon, but others said they planned to ride the storm out.
Bob and Cheryl came in from Naples, and they said that for now, they are staying put.
“We’ll play it by ear. I mean, will I sleep good tonight? Well, I’ll keep one eye open and pay attention to things and you know, we’ll just see,” they said.
The county said even though it issued the mandatory evacuation, it would not force anyone from their homes. But there is a shelter at Rymfire Elementary School in Palm Coast for those who need it.
Jonathan Lord, the county’s emergency management director, said flooding could be a problem on top of the winds, especially near the Intracoastal Waterway.
“Areas that typically flood now under lunar high tides, which is happening as we speak as we approach lunar high tides, those areas might see, as the weather service predicts, street-level flooding in those neighborhoods,” Lord said.
The county is also watching the dunes and State Road A1A closely, as both are still very fragile after the hurricanes of last year.
Lord said if winds reach a certain speed, it will limit the use of the causeways beachside. That’s why they’re asking those under the evacuation order to do so, and those living beachside to stay cautious.
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