Hurricane Idalia Update From Volusia County

Idalia has been upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane with winds estimated at 75 mph as it tracks toward the Big Bend area of Florida. Idalia is expected to rapidly intensify with winds forecast to be 120 mph when it makes landfall over the Apalachee Bay area tomorrow morning. The area at greatest risk will be north of Tampa through the Apalachee Bay. Idalia should move into Georgia as a hurricane, then weaken to a tropical storm as it moves along the Carolina coast.

Volusia County impact

In Volusia County, wind gusts could approach tropical storm force Wednesday with isolated power outages and tornadoes possible. Rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches, with isolated pockets of 4 to 5 inches, could cause isolated flooding and travel delays. Because of the full moon, tides are expected to be 1 to 2 feet higher than normal at high tide.

Votran transportation to shelters

Votran, Volusia County’s public transit system, will transport residents to the general population shelter at the Volusia County Fairgrounds beginning at noon today. Those requiring transportation are asked to report to a bus stop or transfer station before 3:30 p.m. as all buses must be off the roads by 5 p.m. Those who have special transportation requirements should call Votran Gold at 386-761-7700. All fares are suspended today. For bus stop and transfer station locations, visit https://www.votran.org.

Volusia County Schools

All Volusia County public schools and district offices will be closed on Wednesday, Aug. 30. All school activities, events, and programs scheduled for Wednesday are canceled.

Prescription refills

Pursuant to Gov. Ron DeSantis’s emergency declaration, Volusia County residents can obtain a 30-day refill of their prescription medications, even if they have just refilled it. Experts also recommend that residents keep a list of all their prescription medications, dosages, and any other special instructions with their medications.

Closures and cancellations

·     All 14 branches of the Volusia County Public Library will close at 5 p.m. today. Tomorrow’s hours will be announced later today.

·     Beaches will close to vehicular traffic this afternoon. These will be rolling closures as each beach ramp is closed.

·     Votran will cease service at 5 p.m. today.

·     Coastal parks will close at 5 p.m. today.

·     The 7th Judicial Circuit will suspend court operations beginning at 3 p.m. today. Courts will remain closed on Wednesday, Aug. 30, and will reopen on Thursday, Aug. 31.

Voluntary evacuation reminder

Volusia County has issued a voluntary evacuation recommendation that began at 10 a.m. today. People who live in RVs, mobile homes, or low-lying areas may wish to find accommodations with friends or family members. People in these high-risk areas may use public shelters as a site of last resort. Beachfront residents who were impacted by significant coastal erosion during Hurricane Ian or Nicole, and have not completed necessary protective measures, are encouraged to seek safe shelter.

Stay informed

Volusia County’s Citizens Information Center will be open 24 hours a day until further notice. Residents may call 866-345-0345 for information about the storm, sandbags, disaster preparation and community resources.

Residents can stay informed by visiting https://www.volusia.org/idalia and downloading the Volusia County EM app, which is available for free on the Google Play or App Store. The app features weather alerts and current conditions, preparedness checklists, links to county sites, locations of the nearest open shelter and sandbag distribution sites, evacuation information, push notifications and more.

Residents are also encouraged to follow Volusia County Emergency Management on Facebook, subscribe to the County of Volusia YouTube channel at https://bit.ly/vcyoutubesubscribe, and sign up for emergency notification phone alerts at www.volusia.org/emergency.