FORT MYERS, Fla. Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for parts of Southwest Florida as Hurricane Irma draws near.
Below is a county-by-county look at evacuation details. Click here to see a list of shelter openings:
Lee County
Mandatory evacuations were expanded Friday effective immediately for Evacuation Zone A and portions of the Imperial River basin between East Terry, Bonita Beach Road and Interstate 75.
Evacuation Zone A includes:
- All of the barrier islands (previously announced on Thursday)
- Cape Coral west of Burnt Store Road and south of Cape Coral Parkway, east of Del Prado
- Boulevard to Viscaya Parkway
- North Fort Myers south of Bay Shore Road from Moody Road to State Road 31 and areas south of North River Road from State Road 31 to Fichters Creek.
- Areas of Iona south of Maple Drive, west of U.S. 41
- San Carlos Park west of U.S. 41,
- Estero west of U.S. 41, north of the Estero River
- Bonita Springs communities along Estero Bay and the Imperial River Basin.
Click here to see county evacuation zone maps.
Florida Gulf Coast University student housing will evacuate Saturday to Alico Arena, the university’s housing department said. The campus evacuation will take place between 9:30 a.m. and noon.
Weather update: FGCU housing will evacuate Saturday morning to Alico Arena. Details will follow.
— FGCU Housing & RL (@FGCUhousing) September 8, 2017
Students should be packed and ready to evacuate by 9:30 a.m., the housing department said in an email. They won’t be allowed to go back into the dorms until the storm passes.
Fort Myers police officers are going door-to-door telling residents of Tropical Trailer Park, Poinsettia Park and Orange Grove Park to evacuate.
The City of Sanibel declared a mandatory evacuation beginning at 9 a.m. Friday, and a curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night starting at 10 p.m. Friday.
Tolls on all Lee County bridges are suspended effective immediately.
Collier County
Mandatory evacuation orders were expanded Friday afternoon for areas of Collier County, according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.
Residents were required to leave at 1 p.m. in Goodland, Everglades City, Chokoloskee and all areas south and west of U.S. 41, deputies said.
Collier County residents living in mobile homes to the east of Collier Boulevard are strongly advised to evacuate to a hardened structure or an emergency shelter, deputies said.
A special needs only shelter will open at 8 a.m. on Friday at Palmetto Ridge High School on 1655 Victory Lane for electrically dependent or bed ridden pre-registered clients who require nursing care.
A family member or caregiver is asked to accompany the special needs person at the shelter.
For more information about the special needs shelter in Collier County call 239-252-8809.
Charlotte County
No mandatory evacuations in effect.
Hendry County
Residents were required to leave at 8 a.m. Friday in the City of Clewiston, Hookers Point, Harlem, Flaghole, Montura Ranch Estates and the communities located within the Mid-County MSBU which includes Ladeca, Pioneer Plantation and Leon-Dennis Subdivision (Al Don Farming Road).
Hendry County is providing transportation for those living in mandatory evacuation areas who are unable to evacuate to a shelter, according to a county press release.
People can be picked up in the Clewiston commerce park area, across from the Hendry County Health Department on the west side of Olympia Street, officials said.
This transportation is for evacuees in the mandatory evacuation zone who do not have the means to evacuate on their own, according to officials. Those with the means to transport themselves should do so and allow others in need to use the transportation.
Glades County
Moore Haven, Lakeport, Washington Park, Benbow and Uncle Joe’s Motel and Campground were being evacuated as of noon Friday.
Residents in Zone A must evacuate by noon Friday, the Glades County Emergency Operations Center said in a press release. Anyone in an RV park, mobile home or building constructed before 1992 must also evacuate.