Evacuations in South Carolina, Georgia As Hurricane Approaches
South Carolina’s Governor Henry McMaster on Sunday evening ordered a mandatory evacuation of his state’s entire coast as Hurricane Dorian threatens, The Associated Press reported.
McMaster’s order goes into effect at noon Monday, when state troopers will begin reversing lanes so that people can all head inland on major coastal highways, the report said.
Authorities said the order covers approximately 830,000 people, many of whom will be evacuating for the fourth time in four years.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp also ordered a mandatory evacuation of the state’s Atlantic coast starting at midday Monday.
Kemp tweeted late Sunday that his executive order covers all those located east of the Interstate 95 corridor on Georgia’s Atlantic seaboard. It begins at noon EDT Monday, according to AP.
Earlier on Sunday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that Dorian has strengthened to category five, the highest category on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
Dorian’s maximum sustained winds increased up to 160mph as it moves west at 8mph on Sunday morning toward the northern Bahamas. The storm is capable of causing catastrophic destruction, the NHC reported.
States of emergency have been declared in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina. Residents have been urged to stock enough food, water and medicine to last at least a week.
