NYC issues mandatory evacuations ahead of Hurricane Irene, transit system shut down
Posted Aug 26, 2011 10:23:50 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
For the first time in New York City’s history, the mayor has announced a mandatory evacuation of low-lying areas.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg made the announcement Friday in preparation of the arrival of Hurricane Irene.
Bloomberg says they are not taking any chances.
“We’ve never done a mandatory evacuation before and we wouldn’t be doing it now if we didn’t this this storm had the potential to be very serious,” said Bloomberg
U.S president Barack Obama says all indication point to this being an historic hurricane.
“I cannot stress this highly enough. If you are in the projected path of this hurricane you have to take precautions now. Don’t wait, don’t delay. We all hope for the best but we have to be prepared for the worst.”
However Friday evening the New York subway system was ordered shut down as Hurricane Irene bore down, potentially paralyzing movement for millions of carless people even as more than 300,000 were told to evacuate to safer places.
Subways, buses and trains were to stop running at noon Saturday.
The city opened nearly 100 shelters with a capacity of 71,000 people.
Hurricane Irene is expected to hit North Carolina with full force some time Saturday and then track up the U.S. east coast and Atlantic Canada.