Florida authorities have issued mandatory evacuation orders in several areas of the state to protect residents from the dangers associated with Hurricane Helene, which is accompanied by strong winds, flooding, and storm surges.
The National Hurricane Center has warned that Helene "will become quite large and powerful before making landfall," predicting that before its arrival in Florida it will become a major intensity hurricane.
With favorable conditions for strengthening over the eastern Gulf of Mexico during this Wednesday and Thursday, Helene has placed various regions on alert, including parts of Cuba and Mexico.
Thousands of Florida residents will be forced to evacuate to protected areas as the rapid strengthening of Tropical Storm Helene is expected. The evacuation areas include:
Citrus County: Mandatory evacuation in some coastal areas. Located on the west coast of Florida, north of the Tampa Bay area.
Hillsborough County: Mandatory evacuation in some coastal areas. It includes the city of Tampa and is located on the west-central coast of Florida.
Charlotte County: Mandatory evacuation in some coastal areas. Located on the southwestern coast of Florida, north of Fort Myers.
Gulf County: Mandatory evacuation in some coastal areas. Located in the Panhandle region of Florida, on the northwest coast.
Manatee County: Mandatory evacuation in some coastal areas. Just south of Tampa Bay, on the west coast of Florida.
Pinellas County: Mandatory evacuation in some coastal areas. Includes the cities of St. Petersburg and Clearwater, located on Florida's west coast.
Taylor County: Mandatory evacuation across the county, with a curfew in effect. Located southeast of Tallahassee, in the Big Bend region.
Franklin County: Mandatory evacuation across the county. On the Panhandle coast, south of Tallahassee, in the Big Bend.
Wakulla County: Mandatory evacuation throughout the county. Located just south of Tallahassee, in the Big Bend region.
St. Petersburg, Florida: Mandatory evacuation for all health residential centers along the coast. An important city in Pinellas County, on Florida's west coast.
These areas are located in the Gulf of Mexico region and are particularly vulnerable to the effects of Hurricane Helene.
Additionally, it is recommended to monitor evacuation orders in other coastal areas of the Big Bend region and southeast Florida.
Hurricane Helene has strengthened in the last few hours as it moves through the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and it is expected to reach category 4 before making landfall on the northern coast of Florida on the night of this Thursday.
Conditions will deteriorate rapidly as Helene approaches the coast, so it is crucial that evacuations and preparations are completed before the end of the day.
Tropical storm Helene formed in the northwest Caribbean Sea on September 24, with forecasts indicating rapid intensification into a hurricane.
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