JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan and other city officials warned residents Tuesday throughout Duval County that Hurricane Milton is strong enough to impact the area into next week.
A local state of emergency went into effect at 8 a.m. Tuesday. Officials said residents should brace for the storm they predict will cause more damage than Hurricane Helene, which brought power outages and isolated flooding to the First Coast.
As of Tuesday afternoon, no evacuation orders have been issued for Duval County. However, Deegan recommended that residents living in a trailer or older home should consider relocating to one of the city shelters.
The following shelters will open Wednesday at 8 a.m. for Duval County residents:
- Arlington Middle School: 8141 Lone Star Road
- Atlantic Coast High School, special medical needs, pet-friendly: 9735 R. G. Skinner Parkway
- Chaffee Trail Elementary: 11400 Sam Caruso Way
- Landmark Middle School, pet friendly: 101 Kernan Boulevard North
- LaVilla: 501 N. Davis Street
- The Legends Center, special medical needs, pet friendly: 5130 Soutel Drive
The city is prepared to open five additional shelters if necessary.
For the first time, the city will use Tiger Dams to prevent storm surges along the beaches.
Many Gulf Coast and Central Florida residents have evacuated to Jacksonville, selling out nearly all the hotels in Duval County. However, Deegan said currently, there is no concern about a gas shortage.
Deegan warned residents about heavier traffic with people evacuating to Jacksonville.
JEA and Public Works brought in additional crews to respond to the remaining debris from Helene, and Deegan is asking residents to be patient as these same crews will continue to work nonstop for water and power outages.
"We have a lot more water with this storm than the last one. The winds especially out at the beaches are going to be so much stronger, so there's going to be more problems out there," said Deegan. "I'm asking, please, for your patience and understanding as it may be longer than normal for service restoration times may be possible."