Mayor Bloomberg tells New Yorkers to prepare for evacuation as state of emergency is declared ahead of brutal Hurricane Irene

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg issued a stark warning to New Yorkers today as the city braced itself to face the wrath of Hurricane Irene, which could pose serious danger to millions of people. As the storm devastated the Bahamas, caused panic in North Carolina and threatened to continue its path of destruction right through to America's most populous city, Mayor Bloomberg urged hundreds of thousands of residents in low-lying areas to line up a place to stay on high ground ahead of a possible evacuation this weekend.


States of emergency have been declared in six states - New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and Delaware - as experts warned the huge hurricane is set to continue to hug the coast, causing an extent of damage to the East Coast not seen in more than half a century. The storms could rival the most notorious to have ravaged the area, such as 1954's Hurricane Carol, a Category Three storm which struck Long Island, and Hurricane Bob in 1991, a furious storm which caused billions of dollars worth of damage.

Bloomberg said today that he expected to make a decision by late Friday on whether residents in the city's so-called 'Zone-A' would need to evacuate ahead of the storm that's now expected to hit the city on Sunday. That zone includes neighbourhoods along the coast, including Battery Park City in Manhattan, Coney Island in Brooklyn and Far Rockaway in Queens.


WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE FORCED TO EVACUATE YOUR HOME
If an evacuation order is made by the Mayor for specific zones, residents must leave their homes immediately.
(1) Plan to use mass transit as much as possible, as it offers the fastest way to reach your destination and reduces the risk of traffic delays.
(2) Listen carefully to your local news media, which will broadcast reports about weather and transportation conditions.
(3) Leave early. Evacuations will need to be completed before winds and flooding become a threat.
(4) If you have to take a car, be prepared for a long, slow trip. Stay tuned to local media for information about road and bridge closures and only stop at marked Evacuation Centers.
(5) In any significant rainstorm, avoid driving through standing water if you cannot tell how deep it is.

source: check signature link below

lord have mercy oh.

hurricanes are very nasty things.

^^did you forget to add your comment?

^^lol sure. Thanks

very nasty, I pray this doesnt claim casualties, though it has weakened to just category 1, with winds of 85 miles per hour (140 km per hour) I heard.

^^lol sure. Thanks

very nasty, I pray this doesnt claim casualties, though it has weakened to just category 1, with winds of 85 miles per hour (140 km per hour) I heard.
[quote][/quote]