TAMPA – More than 2.5 million are under evacuation orders in Central Florida ahead of Hurricane Ian, which is expecting to make landfall on the west coast of the state on Wednesday evening.
Ian made landfall in Cuba’s Pinar del Rio province, where officials set up 55 shelters, evacuated 50,000 people, rushed in emergency personnel and took steps to protect crops in the nation’s main tobacco-growing region. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Cuba suffered “significant wind and storm surge impacts” when the hurricane struck with sustained top winds of 125 mph (205 kmh).
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Ian was expected to get even stronger over the warm Gulf of Mexico, reaching top winds of 130 mph (209 kph) as it approaches the southwest coast of Florida, where 2.5 million people were ordered to evacuate.
Florida evacuations for Hurricane Ian -- full list (As of Sept. 27)
Charlotte County
Evacuation Order: Mandatory
Evacuation Info: CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. (Sept. 27, 2022) – Charlotte County Emergency Management has issued evacuation orders for residents in all of Zone A - Red and all of Zone B - Orange. This includes those living on the barrier islands of Don Pedro Island, Knight Island (Palm Island), Little Gasparilla Island, Gasparilla Island, and Manasota Key, as well as residents in any zone living in mobile homes and trailers. To find your zone, visit www.CharlotteCountyFL.gov/knowyourzone.
Citrus County
Evacuation Order: Mandatory
Clay County
Evacuation Order: Voluntary
Evacuation Info: Clay County will be starting evacuations of zones A, B and C, North Prong and South Prong on 9/28 at noon. For more Information go to alert.claycountygov.com
Collier County
Evacuation Order: Voluntary
Evacuation Info: Due to potential hazards related to Hurricane Ian, Collier County has issued a Voluntary Evacuation Notice for those living in the immediate coastal areas, west and south of US Highway 41/Tamiami Trail, in low-lying flood-prone areas and mobile homes. For those that elect to evacuate, and do not have other options available to them General Population Shelters will open at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 27th as a last resort.
Gilchrist County
Evacuation Order: Voluntary
Glades County
Evacuation Order: Voluntary
Evacuation Info: 9/27/2022 Voluntary evacuation of areas prone to flooding, low lying areas, and mobile homes.
Hernando County
Evacuation Order: Mandatory
Evacuation Info: Mandatory Evacuations have been issued for all areas west of US 19, which includes evacuation zones A, B, and C. All residents living in coastal and low-lying areas, as well as manufactured homes county wide, are included. Residents are advised to seek safe shelter with family or friends that reside in a safe structure. If this is not a possibility, a public shelter will open at 10 a.m.
Highlands County
Evacuation Order: Voluntary
Evacuation Info: Sept. 27, 2022 A voluntary evacuation of flood-prone areas and non-slab-built homes (trailers, RVs, mobile homes) has been issued for our county.
Hillsborough County
Evacuation Order: Mandatory
Evacuation Info: MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDERS FOR ZONES A and B have been issued by Hillsborough County including all low-lying areas, mobile and manufactured homes. Evacuations must be completed by 9:00PM on Tuesday, September 27, 2022.
Lee County
Evacuation Order: Mandatory
Evacuation Info: Lee County has issued evacuation orders for barrier islands and low-lying areas in advance of Hurricane Ian’s approach, and the county will open some of its shelters for evacuees who do not have other locations to stay. The evacuation area includes: All of Evacuation Zone A, which generally includes islands and coastal areas. Part of Evacuation Zone B south of Veterans Parkway.
Levy County
Evacuation Order: Mandatory
Evacuation Info: Coastal Communities, RV Parks, Mobile Homes and low lying areas
Manatee County
Evacuation Order: Information
Evacuation Info: MANATEE COUNTY, FL (September 27, 2022) – Please note that both Levels A & B are now MANDATORY evacuations, and Level C is RECOMMENDED.
Pasco County
Evacuation Order: Mandatory
Evacuation Info: Pasco County Government is issuing a mandatory evacuation for certain areas of Pasco County and voluntary evacuations for other areas as Hurricane Ian churns off the Gulf Coast. Life-threatening storm surge and hurricane force winds are expected to impact Pasco County later this week. You must evacuate if one or more of the following applies to you: You live in Evacuation Zone A. You live in a manufactured home, mobile home or RV anywhere in Pasco. You live in a low-lying area or an area prone to flooding. You live in a structure that historically has experienced flooding during heavy rainfall. You’re in an area ordered evacuated by local authorities due to life-safety hazards. You should evacuate if one or more of the following applies to you: You live in Evacuation Zones B or C. You’re registered with Pasco as a Special Needs Resident. You would be vulnerable in the event of a power loss. Know your evacuation zone. Please consider riding out the storm with family or friends. If that’s not an option, you can evacuate directly to a Pasco County Shelter. Shelters will open Tuesday, September 27, at 10:00 a.m. To find the shelter closest to you, click here once shelters open: mypas.co/Map. If you decide to stay in a shelter, please bring your ID, money and any medicine you might need.
Pinellas County
Evacuation Order: Mandatory
Evacuation Info: Effective 6 p.m. today (9/26/2022), all residents in Evacuation Zone A (including all mobile home residents) will be under mandatory evacuation orders. Mandatory orders for evacuation zones B and C will be effective tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. 1/2
Putnam County
Evacuation Order: Information
Evacuation Info: In light of the serious threat to lives and property in Putnam County posed by Hurricane Ian, it is recommended that residents in evacuation zones A and F, low-lying areas, areas that have a history of flooding, and mobile homes evacuate beginning Tuesday evening, September 27, 2022. Shelters will be open starting Tuesday, September 27, 2022, at 6 p.m. For More Information visit: https://main.putnam-fl.com/?page_id=5852
St. Johns County
Evacuation Order: Phased
Taylor County
Evacuation Order: Voluntary
Evacuation Info: The Taylor County sheriff has issued a voluntary evacuation notice for all coastal, flood prone, and low-lying areas of Taylor County. The notice takes effect Tuesday (9/27/2022) at 1:00 pm.
Sarasota County
Evacuation Order: Mandatory
Evacuation Info: Sarasota County is calling for the evacuation of Level A. This includes vessels, RVs, mobile and manufactured homes.
Florida evacuation zones: How to find your zone ahead of Hurricane Ian
To stay safe from surge flooding, if you live in a zone that has been ordered to evacuate, get out. The best way to be prepared for a hurricane storm surge is to know your evacuation zone and plan your destination and travel routes ahead of time.
Florida coastal counties are susceptible to storm surge from tropical storms and hurricanes. For most coastal Florida counties, evacuation zones have been designated. Interior counties do not have designated evacuation zones.
Evacuation Zones - enter an address or use your device location to Know Your Zone and view designated evacuation zones.
Evacuation Routes - enter an address or use your device location to Know Your Zone and view nearby designated evacuation routes.
Evacuation Zones are designated by letter. Vulnerability may be assumed to increase as the designations go from Tropical Storm Zone to Zone F, with Tropical Storm Zone and Zone A as the most vulnerable. No other counties in the state have an F zone except the Northeast Florida counties, for now. Counties who use designated evacuation zones will use these letters when they order evacuations.
Florida evacuation route and zone by county
These county-wide evacuation route and zone maps are based upon the most up-to-date regional evacuation studies and are intended for general reference. Please note that within many counties, there may not be designated evacuation zones.
Alachua | Baker | Bay | Bradford | Brevard | Broward | Calhoun | Charlotte | Citrus | Clay | Collier | Columbia| DeSoto | Dixie | Duval | Escambia | Flagler | Franklin| Gadsden | Gilchrist | Glades | Gulf Hamilton | Hardee | Hendry | Hernando | Highlands | Hillsborough | Holmes | Indian River | Jackson | Jefferson Lake | Lafayette | Lee | Leon | Levy | Liberty Madison | Manatee | Marion | Martin | Miami-Dade | Monroe Nassau | Okaloosa | Okeechobee | Orange | Osceola | Palm Beach | Pasco | Pinellas | Polk | Putnam | Santa Rosa | Sarasota | Seminole | St. Johns | St. Lucie | Sumter | Suwannee| Taylor | Union | Volusia | Wakulla | Walton | Washington