Ocean City Emergency Management officials will initiate phase three of the hurricane action plan in preparation for Hurricane Irene. Phase three will go into effect at midnight tonight.
Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan has signed a proclamation declaring a local State of Emergency.
All persons other than identified emergency personnel are ordered to evacuate. Visitors are asked to return to their principle residences. Ocean City residents are asked to seek shelter elsewhere.
Utilizing the authority under a local State of Emergency, the Mayor is banning the sale of all alcohol in Ocean City and requests that all businesses close beginning at midnight.
All incoming traffic to Ocean City, Maryland, will be limited to emergency personnel. No other vehicles will be permitted entry to the island, except by approved authority (Mayor, City Manager and Emergency Services Director).
Ocean City Municipal Transportation System is providing transportation for special needs individuals. For special needs transportation, please call Ocean City Transportation at 410-723-1606. International student workforce evacuation continues and will be completed by tomorrow morning.
The Ocean City Government Cable Access Channel 4, the Ocean City website www.ocmdemergency.com, recorded emergency management line, 410-723-6666 and Ocean City advisory radio station 1670 AM will remain operational for further advisories.
Ocean City is expected to receive a significant impact from Hurricane Irene.
Easterly gale force winds should start affecting the area on Saturday, August 27 at 5 p.m. with hurricane-force winds arriving around 4 a.m. and lasting for a period of eight
hours. The highest wind speeds from Hurricane Irene should occur near 9 a.m. when top sustained winds, from the north, could reach 90 mph with gusts near 120 mph. Winds should decrease below hurricane force shortly thereafter.
Sustained winds will fall below gale force after 3 p.m. and generally be from the north during this period of decreasing winds. Expect gusts above gale force level for several more hours thereafter.
The total rainfall for the Ocean City area over the next three days is forecast to be 9.5 inches. This can vary significantly as tropical storm and hurricane rainfall is very difficult to predict.
Storm surge is expected to be six-feet above normal high tide cycles resulting in significant flooding in low-lying areas.
NEW POSTS TO FALL BELOW THIS ONE.
10 comments:
Does this include West Ocean City?
I would hope that when Irene gets closer, if the electric is still up and running, one will not have to scroll thur 100 copy and paste world news andother junk bs in order to find out what is happening locally. Never mind, I guess my brain is mal-functioning, as why in the dickens would I even consider going to this blog for local news.
3:34....you are a moron. I thought the saddest part was that they were banning the sale of alcohol, however, you by far are a much sadder individual.
3:33....at this time it does NOT include West Ocean City, only the island. No entry over the bridges after 5:00pm tomorrow
3:34 - can you not read :
"NEW POSTS TO FALL BELOW THIS ONE"
It's a regular occurence when local news impacts the immediate community. You obviously are not a regular visitor and we can dub you a "come here!"
The Mayor of OC can declare anything he wants for the area he has authority over. Once you go West over the bridge, Worcester County has authority. Downtown OC will likely be impassable by car. Even the OC side of the bridge when you come over may be impassable for low cars. As of now, all OC bus service will run and I expect will continue to run unless the water level prevents it.
Remember Katrina? They had plenty of buses available for evacuation but did not use them.
612 you make a great point when you said "remember Katrina?". This sadly has become the motto when declaring an emergency or issuing an evacuation order now a days. I don't blame them for taking precautions.
However you must remember that some people chose to stay in NO during the storm. Hopefully we have learned that sometimes a storm can be more than what we can handle. Be safe, not on Cnn.
This will be nothing like all the others. Delmarva drama!
Is anyone else planing on evacuating the salisbury area?
"Is anyone else planing on evacuating the salisbury area?"
One can only hope as in many cases, it would be a good thing!
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