ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Few cars or people were out and about Wednesday in St. Augustine’s flood-prone neighborhood Davis Shores, located on Anastasia Island.
The National Weather Service has issued hurricane and storm surge watches for St. Johns County ahead of Milton’s landfall.
County officials have issued mandatory evacuations, effective 8 a.m. Wednesday, for zones A, B, and F. This includes the entire City of St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach, and those living on waterfront property or in flood-prone areas.
MORE: Mandatory evacuations begin in St. Johns County ahead of Hurricane Milton
Residents living in boats, RVs, mobile homes, and low-lying flood-prone areas are also required to evacuate.
Boarded businesses line St. Augustine’s streets as locals brace for impact from Milton overnight.
“Because of the damage that we’ve seen with Helene, everybody’s taking this very seriously,” said Davis Shores resident Susan Weeks Sturm.
She said most of her neighbors have evacuated, including her 97-year-old mother– even though she resisted at first.
Sturm said she told her mother, “Just that power outage is probably very real, and it could be some time before we get power back again. And we just know in the dark if we’re flooded, it’s just a real unsafe situation for her.”
COUNTY-BY-COUNTY: When and how Hurricane Milton will impact Northeast Florida, Southeast Georgia
Flooding is a major concern. The National Weather Service warns life-threatening storm surges 3 to 5 feet above ground are possible in vulnerable areas of coastal St. Johns County. St. Augustine’s Fire Chief warned Tuesday areas that flooded during Nicole or Irma are likely to flood again with Milton.
The memories of other storms are still present for many, like longtime Davis Shores resident Angelo Deniakos.
“High water’s been the issue, with Matthew in 2016 and Irma 10 months later,” he said.
He’s waiting this one out, clearing his garage floor in case of flooding and preparing for the possibility of power outages with a backup generator.
“Feeling pretty good as far as our prep,” Deniakos said.
While residents in St. Augustine, are wary and watching Milton closely, they’re more concerned about areas closer to the hurricane’s projected path.
“Our hearts and prayers are with everybody on the West Coast,” Sturm said. “We have many family friends who are over in that area that we’re very worried about.”
St. Johns County has three open shelters for those who need a place to go.
- Special Medical Needs – Freedom Crossing Academy, 1365 Shetland Drive, St. Johns
- Pet Friendly – South Woods Elementary School, 4750 State Road 206 West, Elkton
- General Population – Pedro Menendez High School, 600 State Road 206 West, St. Augustine
Residents who require transportation to a storm shelter should call the Emergency Management Citizen Information Hotline at 904-824-5550. Transportation will be provided for those in need.