Mangano orders mandatory evacuations for South Shore

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Nassau County ordered mandatory evacuations of tens of thousands of homes on the South Shore because of Hurricane Irene, County Executive Ed Mangano announced Friday afternoon.

All residents living south of Sunrise Highway, between the Queens border and Rockville Centre, and south of Merrick Road, between Rockville Centre and the Suffolk County border, must leave their homes by 5 p.m. Saturday. Nassau County is in line for a direct hit from the hurricane, with rain and heavy winds expected to start late Saturday and continue through Sunday evening.

Joined by the county's three town supervisors - Kate Murray of Hempstead, John Venditto of Oyster Bay and Jon Kaiman of North Hempstead - Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter and Glen Cove Mayor Ralph Suozzi, Mangano announced the evacuation plan for the South Shore and some low-lying North Shore areas. 


He also annnounced the county will open nearly two doezn shelters, which can be viewed here.

Mangano urged residents to evacuate sooner rather than later because the MTA will shut down all public transportation, including the Long Island Rail Road and Long Island Bus, by noon on Saturday. He urged residents of the evacuated area to find family and friends to stay with in unaffected areas.

Mangano said the evacuation order will affect about 300,000 Nassau County residents. He said the order is a "common sense" solution to keep people safe. Evacuation of the barrier island, including Long Beach, Lido, Point Lookout, Atlantic Beach and East Atlantic Beach had already begun.

The county executive said plans could change again, but right now the hurricane appears on a direct path to hit Long Island. "It is pretty much staying on course," he said. "We all hope for the best that it will turn."